No regrets dumping royal duties for football - South Africa's Rhoda Mulaudzi

Rhoda Mulaudzi says she quit "royal duties" to play football and realise her dreams of becoming a professional football player.

The 29-year-old, who is a grand-daughter of the king of Venda in Limpopo near the South Africa-Zimbabwe border, was faced with pressure from her mother to quit football at a young age.

However, after a recent move to Australia, the South African has achieved her goal after wrapping up her pro debut season with Canberra United in the Australian W-League where she scored four goals in 12 appearances.

"When I was young, they tried to stop me from playing football, but I refused and told them I was not interested in royal duties," Mulaudzi told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"My mum was not happy, but my dad is a football person, so he just said 'Whatever you decide I’ll support you all the way'.

"The only thing I wanted to do was play football, and that’s why I’m here because I had faith and believed in myself, one day I wanted to see myself playing for the national team and playing overseas, and here I am playing for Canberra United.

"Nothing was going to stop me from doing what I love. But now my mum is my No. 1 supporter, even more than my dad.

"I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got here because there’s a huge gap between the South African league and Australian league, this one is professional, and the competition is very high.

"In the back of my mind, I told myself even if I can become our team's top goal-scorer that will be enough. Next season hopefully I can double up and do more because I feel like I have more to give, I know myself what kind of striker I am, and I can do more."

Having returned to the Bayana squad after an 18-month hiatus, Mulaudzi will be hoping to impress coach Desiree Ellis' enough to earn a spot in the final squad for this summer's Women's World Cup in France.