Released across the brand's digital platforms during one of the country’s most high-profile football moments, a new video message turned the spotlight away from match results and onto the real foundation of greatness: family, says the brand. 

Carling Black Label says that as part of its ongoing 'Champion Moms' initiative, the brand collaborated with two players from the Soweto Giants — Mduduzi Shabalala and Thalente Mbatha — to honour the women who raised, believed in and inspired them.

Before Shabalala wore the Amakhosi jersey, he was a young boy with a ball and a dream. His mother remembers how that dream first began to show itself. "We bought him so many shoes. But there were always holes in them," Shabalala's mother says. "That's how we knew — wherever he was, he was playing football. That's where it all began."

For Mbatha's mother, her son's journey was marked by a name that carried meaning from the very beginning. "When they asked me what I would name him, I just said Thalente,” Mbatha's mother says. "I don’t know why. I think it was my way of manifesting that he would be talented."

These reflections form part of a digital tribute that blends quiet, personal moments with words that resonate across generations, says the brand. 

The content piece is part of the broader '#ChampionWords' campaign, which invites South Africans to reflect on the most impactful advice or encouragement they've received from their mothers. Throughout the week, selected messages from fans will appear on digital billboards across the country, turning everyday public spaces into living love letters, says Carling Black Label. 

Kerryn Greenleaf, Brand Director for Carling Black Label, says, "We live in a country where mothers are the first teachers, the first believers, the first protectors. This campaign isn't about football glory — it's about the unseen work of mothering, and the words that keep us going long after we leave home."

In the final moments of the video, commentator, Baba Mthethwa, delivers a closing line that echoes well beyond the screen: "A mother's love is unrivalled. End of the story."

Carling Black Label concludes that in honour of Mother's Day, it reminds South Africans that greatness begins at home — and that every champion we know was raised by one. Individuals are encouraged to share their own '#ChampionMom' story by visiting Carling Black Label's social media pages.

For more information, visit www.carlingblacklabel.co.za. You can also follow Carling Black Label on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor