Long-serving Banyana Banyana goalkeeper coach Cameron Cox has been appointed a FIFA Goalkeepers’ Expert for the continent alongside Chedli Mabrouki of Tunisia.
The South African will focus on the COSAFA region and also venture into the English-speaking countries while Mabrouki has been tasked with helping the French-Arabic nations.
Recently the duo was in Zurich, Switzerland as guests of FIFA.
This is a further cap in Coach Cox’s outstanding CV, with the highlight being part of the Banyana squad that won the 2022 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
With the Johannesburg-born Coach Cox serving as a goalkeeper coach at the competition, South Africa’s Andile Dlamini was crowned Goalkeeper of the Tournament following three clean sheets in the six games the African Champions played.
Coach Cox will undergo further training so as to be able to conduct workshops according to the FIFA structures. He is expected to present FIFA workshops to the goalkeeper coaches around the continent and eventually globally.
“It is a great privilege to introduce a seasoned goalkeeper coach and qualified CAF instructor from South Africa as a FIFA Goalkeeper Expert and this will benefit the country and the continent at large. Cameron is one of the talented goalkeeper coaches but also ticks all the boxes. He has all the quality qualificationsrequired for FIFA and has really impressed over the years,” said Alejandro Heredia, Argentinean born, South African-based FIFA Senior Goalkeeper Expert.
“I introduced him recently to FIFA officials and he did very well when asked to deliver a presentation on high level Goalkeeping coaching elements. Cameron will eventually replace me as I have been doing this for 15 years and I need to groom him further. He has been doing really well locally and internationally, and it is one of the reasons why he was invited to FIFA’s Headquarters in Zurich. I believe he can assist goalkeeping coaches in South Africa tremendously.”
For now, he will continue working with Banyana, with an eye on defending the WAFCON title in July this year in Morocco.
Having worked with the South African Men’s U23 National team, U20 Men’s and Women’s National team, as well as the U17 Men’s and Women’s National team, Coach Cox is one of the longest serving Goalkeeper Coaches at the South African Football Association (SAFA), dating back to 2009. He has been consistently involved with goalkeeping since he completed the first official goalkeeper’s course in 2005 conducted by Instructor Heredia.
Coach Cox has won two COSAFA Women’s Championship titles (2019 and 2020) with Banyana and has been to three FIFA World Cup competitions with the African Champions in 2019 (France) and 2023 (Australia and New Zealand). In the latter he was instrumental in helping Banyana progress to the round of 16 with South African goalkeeper Kaylin Swart nominated as one of the top 10 best goalkeepers at that World Cup.
In 2017 he was at the World Cup in the Korea Republic with the South African U20 Men’s National Team.
Coach Cox holds all qualifications in the goalkeeper coaching discipline, including CAF A Licence, SAFA Level 3 (Pro Licence), SAFA Instructor, CAF and FIFA Goalkeeping Instructor
In 2020 he was awarded the Minister’s Recognition Award for Excellence in Sport by the then Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa. Two years later, following Banyana Banyana’s triumph in the WAFCON, he became the recipient of The President’s Appreciation Award conferred by State President, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Coach Cox’s hand also shown when Banyana registered clean sheets in the two friendly matches against Lesotho – using a total of three goalkeepers for the two games.
South Africa won 1-0 and 2-0.
Coaching Experiences:
· Goalkeeper Coach with the South African National Football Teams (2009 to date)
· Currently Goalkeeper Coach with Banyana Banyana
· Other National Teams worked with:
o Bafana Bafana
o Men’s Under 23 Team
o Men’s and Women’s under 20 Teams
o Men’s and Women’s under 17 Teams
Coaching Development & Highest Qualifications:
· CAF A Licence
· SAFA Level 3 (Pro Licence)
· SAFA Instructor
· CAF & FIFA Instructor (Goalkeeping)
o Assistant Instructor (FIFA Goalkeeping Course June 2022 Hosted in RSA)
Courses & Seminars Attended:
· FIFA Goalkeeper Expert Workshop (February 2025)
· CAF Coach Educator Refresher & Grading Course (August 2024)
· CAF Elite Goalkeeping Instructors Course (December 2023 Hosted in RSA)
· CAF Goalkeeping Instructors Course (May 2017 Hosted in Cameroon)
· SAFA Instructors Course (June 2015)
· FIFA Goalkeeper Instructors Seminar (April 2011 Hosted in RSA)
Career highlights:
· Motivating, mentoring and encouraging upcoming players and coaches
· Scouting players for the various national teams
· TOTAL ENERGIES WAFCON Championship Winners 2022
o Goalkeeper of the Tournament (Andile Dlamini)
o COSAFA Women’s Championship Winners 2019 & 2020
· Part of the Technical Team at 3 world cups
o FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 (Last 16)
o FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019
o FIFA Men’s U-20 World cup Korea Republic 2017
Recognition and Awards:
· Recipient of The President’s Appreciation Award for contribution to BANYANA
BANYANA’S historic victory in 2022 WAFCON from Honourable Matamela Cyril
Ramaphosa President of The Republic of South Africa in November 2022.
· Recipient of The Minister’s Recognition Award for Excellence in Sport from
Honourable Nkosinathi Mthethwa Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture in November
2020.
By Matlhomola Morake
