15 January 2026 – 20 March 2026.

My role was set up roughly 50/50. In the mornings I was involved in the developmental and operational side of the academy, helping out with all kinds of administrative tasks. The afternoons were dedicated to football, either coaching the youngsters or training and playing with the senior team myself.

From the very first day, the experience felt incredibly positive on every level. Everyone was open, kind, and welcoming, happy to chat and engage. There was no real hierarchy; everything simply flowed. Within the first week I was already coaching, playing, and engaging with other volunteers, and after only one or two days I knew the time ahead was going to be amazing. All in all, this was one of the best experiences I’ve had in a long, long time, arguably unparalleled for me, and it is an experience I will carry with me for a lifetime.

Two things struck me on a personal level. The first was the vulnerability of the surroundings, particularly for the children coming in from Lwandle Township to play football. It is a reality completely different from how I grew up in Germany, and one that is genuinely difficult to witness. At the same time, I have enormous respect for the effort these kids put in just to be in a safe environment and play the game. The second was the locals I worked and coached alongside: despite financial hardship, everyone was incredibly welcoming, open, and positive throughout my entire time there. That contrast with what I’m used to in Germany, where people tend to be wealthier but not necessarily warmer, is something I will carry with me for many years to come.

It is not official yet, but the biggest lesson is that in Europe there really is no such thing as material risk. People in South Africa live under such different conditions that I find it hard to see meaningful risk in things like changing cities, changing jobs, or changing my hobbies. In my mind, the internship has opened up a few new corridors and given me extra flexibility in how I think about life in general, because in a privileged European environment the limits and the supposed risks are far smaller than they look. That is something incredibly valuable for the career to come.

My biggest learning is that being happy, and allowing yourself to be happy, has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with the people around you and what you do throughout the day. It might sound like a platitude, something everyone says, but I have seen it up close. That deeply impressed me and will stick with me for a very long time. The other thing, less a new learning than a confirmation, is just how enormous the power of football is to bring people together and to serve as a foundational building block in the lives of so many people who have very little. Football really is one of the greatest things this earth has to offer.

What comes to mind is one of the happiest stretches of days I’ve had in a long time. Pure freedom. The weather was great, the days were filled with football, football, football, and the people around me lived and breathed the game. It was a chance to dive deep into a complex but incredibly warm and welcoming culture, with people who are extra kind precisely because they are born and raised with football. For me, it was the great freedom period in the middle of my sabbatical from work in Germany.

Yes. I’m still in contact with one or two coaches who are currently with the academy, as well as a number of volunteers who were there during my time. I’m also lucky enough to be taking part in another charity cup with Young Bafana in the coming month, which will give me the chance to see people I came across in South Africa and meet some new faces from the Young Bafana universe.