Banyana Banyana forward Rhoda Mulaudzi will now be playing her football in Cyprus after joining Apollon Ladies FC in the Cypriot First Division Women.

The 29-year-old has signed a one-year contract with the Cyprus-based outfit after her contract with Australian side Canberra United ended at the end of the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

The Limpopo-based striker has now become the first South African woman player to have signed for a club in Cyprus and the first South African to sign a deal after Banyana’s participation in the Women’s World Cup in France.

‘I am so excited about this move, and I am almost certain it will open doors for other players to come this side. What makes me even happier is that I will be playing in the Uefa Women Champions League – in terms of levels this is the second highest in the game after the World Cup, and now it is a dream come true,’ Mulaudzi told Safa.

‘I still don’t believe how it happened. The vice-president of the club in-boxed me on Facebook, asking if I was available to join their team – and at first I thought it was a scam. But my faith pushed me to go ahead and probe further, and here I am today seeing another dream come true.

‘I am so happy I don’t even know what to say – this is just a good indication that when God says yes, no one can say no. He has been really amazing to me – first taking me to Australia, then getting a chance again in the national team, playing in the World Cup and now this, what more can I ask for?’

The former Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC player now joins the likes of Leandra Smeda (Sweden), Jermaine Seoposenwe and Nothando Vilakazi (both Lithuania), Linda Motlhalo and Thembi Kgatlana (China) as well Ode Fulutudilu (Spain) who ply their trade abroad.

‘I am so looking forward to this competition, and I am very happy to be playing at this level. However, it just seems too far. I can’t wait to get on the pitch,’ she added.