I didn't need convincing about South Africa

TS Galaxy striker Dženan Zajmovic has quietly emerged as one of the most influential players in the Betway Premiership.

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The 30-year-old striker joined The Rockets at the beginning of the season from Radnik Surdulica and is amongst the leading goalscorers in the league with 13 goals across all competitions. There is fire behind his calm demeanour, a determination to prove his worth beyond goals and statistics. From life under former coach Sead Ramovic to building a connection with South African fans, Zajmovic's message is clear-he is here to compete, contribute, and help TS Galaxy chase honours. In this interview with Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver, Zajmovic gives readers a deeper look into his mindset, his recent form, and his mission in South African football. The striker also opens up about the tactical trust placed in him, how he's adapted to the local game, and why every match is personal.

Delmain Faver: Dzenan, your command of English is quite impressive.You don't struggle with it at all and speak fluently. Is that something you picked up in school?

Dzenan Zajmovic: That comes from my school background. I was born and raised in Belgium, and I lived there until I was around 16 or 17. The environment I grew up in was incredibly multicultural. Just in my neighbourhood and school alone, there were probably over 100 different nationalities. People from South America, North America, Asia, Africa-literally from all over the planet. If someone didn't speak Dutch or French, we spoke English. I studied French in school as well, and of course, Dutch was one of the main languages. On top of that, I speak Bosnian, my mother tongue, and I also picked up Russian during my time in Asia. I played one season there, and in that region, almost everyone spoke Russian. It's not like South Africa where English is more common. So, I had to learn football terms in Russian, and understand the basics. Language is definitely my thing.