Winning is a terrific habit to have – and the Namibian Warriors are perhaps one of the least likely teams in this year’s AFCON to develop such a habit. But it’s there after the heroics in their first Group E game against Tunisia. Next up for the brave Warriors is the test against South Africa, the country where their captain Peter Shalulile has been playing his whole career. And the 30-year-old pledges to improve his finishing for the game on Sunday despite boasting better numbers than Lionel Messi in 2023!Mamelodi Sundowns striker and Shalulile, known to all Bafana Bafana players, is acknowledged as a significant threat alongside Orlando Pirates forward Deon Hotto, who played a crucial role in Namibia’s 1-0 victory over Tunisia. Meanwhile, South Africa suffered a 2-0 defeat to Mali and are in desperate need of a result.Peter Shaluile hive rise up https://t.co/INR0anONIq pic.twitter.com/AIEGjtrgAe— HZ 🇿🇦🇨🇮 AFCON 2024 (@SurMerco) January 1, 2024 Looking ahead to the anticipated encounter between the two neighbouring teams, Shalulile expressed his determination to contribute to the team’s success by getting on the scoresheet. Despite missing several chances in the match against Tunisia, Shalulile remains focused on his goal-scoring responsibilities.”Glory to God first and my teammates, my coaches – being a captain is not easy because everything is on your shoulders. You could see the chances I’ve missed, I thought that if those guys get a win the blame is on me. But the grace God has given me to captain this side is something that I don’t take for granted. It’s a happy day for the Namibians; it’s a happy day for us. We made history and move on to the next one. It was not easy; they had some chances, and our keeper was amazing. We had some chances, in another day you get punished.”As a two-time DStv Premiership Golden Boot winner also expressed his commitment to improving his finishing skills.”I told the coach I’ll work on my finishing. I’m a striker, and I need to score goals. Today, I got a few chances, and I didn’t score.”##NAJAVA_MECA_7805088##Shalulile is the Brave Warriors’ all-time leading top goal scorer with 16 goals. And in 2023, his numbers were more than impressive. He achieved an impressive goal-scoring feat last year, outscoring people called Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, and Robert Lewandowski. According to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), Shalulile scored 29 goals for both club and country in the 2023 calendar year.In comparison, renowned forwards Messi, Griezmann, and Lewandowski each scored 28 goals in 2023 for their respective clubs and national teams. Shalulile’s achievement placed him in the 45th spot on the list of players with the most goals in 2023. He shared this position with Uruguayan international Luis Suarez, who also scored 29 goals for both club and country.Shalulile’s success extends beyond the international stage, as he is a three-time winner of the Premier Soccer League top goal scorer award in South Africa, known as the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot Award. His consistent goal-scoring prowess has earned him recognition both at home and internationally.
