Nthabeleng Modiko

Nthabeleng Modiko

Modiko at the UJ Soweto Stadium in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Jacinta Rethabile Nthabeleng Modiko
Date of birth	(1986-07-20) 20 July 1986 (age 40)
Place of birth	Maokeng, Free State, South Africa
Position	Defender
Team information
Current team	University of Johannesburg (head coach)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2006	University of the Free State
2006–2007	Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies
2008–0000	University of Johannesburg
International career
0000–0000	South Africa	32
Managerial career
2017–2021	University of the Witwatersrand
2022–	University of Johannesburg
2024	South Africa U/17
Medal record Representing  South Africa Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2010 South Africa
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jacinta Rethabile Nthabeleng Modiko (born 20 July 1986) is a South African professional soccer manager and former player who played as a defender. She is the current head coach of UJ Ladies and a former Banyana Banyana captain.

Playing career

Modiko captained the South African women's national team at the 2010 African Women's Championship where they won a bronze medal. She participated in three Summer World University Games and earned 52 caps for the University Sports South Africa (USSA) women's football team. She previously played for Kovsie Ladies and Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies in the SAFA Provincial Women's League.

Managerial career

In 2017, she was appointed the coach of the University of the Witwatersrand women's team Wits Ladies. She won the Johannesburg Women's Regional League in 2017 and 2018 and qualified the team to the second division in 2018. In 2019, she made her Gauteng Provincial Women's League debut with the team and guided them to a top five finish. She also lead the university to a third spot finish at the 2019 USSA finals and qualified them for the Women's Varsity Football for the first time. In her final season with the team, in 2021, she finished third in Gauteng Provincial Women's League.

In 2022, she was announced as the UJ Ladies team's assistant coach. In August 2022, she took over as head coach and guided UJ Ladies to four major titles: the Engen Knockout Challenge, Engen Champ of Champs, the FNB Women’s Varsity Football, and the USSA Football Championships. Her achievements also earned her several individual honours, including Coach of the Tournament awards at both the Engen Champ of Champs and the USSA Championships, as well as UJ Coach of the Year. Under her leadership, UJ Ladies improved from a ninth‑place finish in 2021 to fourth in the SAFA Women's League in the 2024 season. Beyond club football, Modiko, alongside Simphiwe Dludlu, led South Africa to a silver medal at the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship.She also took over the South Africa under-17 team as head coach for the second round qualifiers for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers. The side lost 3–0 on aggregate to Ethiopia and exited the qualifiers.

Modiko won the 2026 Women's Varsity Football tournament undefeated with her team conceding a single goal throughout the tournament.

Honours

References