AmaZulu goalkeeper reflects on tournament experience that helped shape his rise from youth football to the professional game
Seen Here: From starring in the Engen Knockout Challenge to earning a South African Under-20 call-up and progressing into professional football, AmaZulu FC goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela knows first-hand what the tournament can mean for an aspiring footballer. 🏅 Goalkeeper of the Tournament. 🏆 Player of the Tournament. 🇿🇦 National team recognition. ⚽ A pathway towards the professional game. Now, as the next generation prepares for the 2026 Engen Champ of Champs, Mzimela’s journey stands as a reminder that every great football story has a beginning. The next star could be waiting on that pitch. Photo Credit: Supplied
JOHANNESBURG — 25 September 2026 — For AmaZulu FC goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela, the journey from promising youth prospect to senior professional footballer carries a clear reminder of the importance of development competitions.
Mzimela has credited the Engen Knockout Challenge and the Engen Champ of Champs with playing a significant role in his development and helping put him on the radar of South African Under-20 national team selectors.
The AmaZulu shot-stopper, who is increasingly pushing for a regular first-choice role at Usuthu, is among a growing list of talented footballers whose careers have been shaped through the Engen football development programme.
His story reflects the competition’s long-standing mantra: “Where Diski Legends Start.”
From eThekwini finalist to tournament standout
Mzimela’s breakthrough moment came during the 2018 eThekwini edition of the Engen Knockout Challenge, where he represented AmaZulu.
Although AmaZulu finished as runners-up, Mzimela emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers, claiming both the Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Player of the Tournament awards.
The individual recognition provided an important platform for the young goalkeeper as he continued to establish himself within AmaZulu’s development structures.
A year later, he returned to the competition and helped AmaZulu go one step further, with the side winning the 2019 eThekwini leg.
That victory earned the team a place at the Engen Champ of Champs in Gauteng, where the country’s top performers from the regional tournaments were brought together.
For Mzimela, the national showcase proved particularly valuable.
A platform for exposure
The Champ of Champs brought together talented young players from different regions, while also creating an environment in which players could be assessed by scouts and football coaches.
Mzimela believes that exposure was instrumental in helping him earn a place in the South African Under-20 national team in 2019.
“Taking part in the tournament helped me a lot. You get exposure, especially going to Champ of Champs where there are a lot of scouts,” Mzimela said.
“It’s where I believe I managed to get a call-up to the national team of Under-20. It helped me a lot and prepared me for the DDC.”
His experience demonstrates how youth tournaments can serve as more than competitive platforms, providing aspiring professionals with opportunities to perform in front of coaches, scouts and fellow players operating at a high level.
Preparing for the next level
Mzimela also believes the competition helped him transition into the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) environment, where the intensity and quality of opposition provided another important step towards professional football.
Playing against strong youth sides gave him an opportunity to experience the demands of higher-level competition before entering the reserve league season.
He recalls facing teams such as Chippa United and Bidvest Wits, whose participation provided another measure of the standard required to compete at the next level.
“Most of the teams we were competing against, your Chippa, Bidvest Wits, were also using that tournament to prepare for the season,” he said.
“So, it also prepared me a lot. When I got into the season, I was used to the altitude of Joburg and I was also familiar with a few players that we played against in the Champ of Champs. I was able to compete and had a decent season.”
That experience proved valuable as Mzimela adapted to the demands of the reserve league and continued his progression towards senior football.
Another generation takes centre stage
The 2026 Engen Champ of Champs is set to take place at the High-Performance Centre in Pretoria from 2 to 4 October, once again bringing together some of the country’s most promising young football talent.
For the players taking part, the tournament represents an opportunity to compete at a high level, gain valuable experience and showcase their ability in front of football stakeholders.
Mzimela’s journey offers a powerful example of what can emerge from such platforms.
From collecting individual awards in eThekwini to representing AmaZulu at the national stage, earning an Under-20 call-up and progressing into the professional game, his career illustrates the potential impact of structured youth football.
As a new generation prepares to take the field in Pretoria, Mzimela’s message is implicit in his own journey: the road to professional football can begin at a youth tournament, but it is talent, preparation, exposure and perseverance that help carry players forward.
And for the next crop of aspiring stars, the Engen Champ of Champs could once again provide the stage where their journeys take a decisive step forward.
