Motlhalo admits that comparisons with the Brazil legend "started as a joke".

"My agent said that sometimes the way you play is like Ronaldinho," she explained to Glasgow City TV.

"He tweeted about it and people actually agreed with him, but it's a lot of pressure because, I mean - Ronaldinho!"

Motlhalo began her career in her home town of Gauteng with JVW, the club run by former Glasgow City defender and former South Africa captain Janine van Wyk.

"Janine has played a huge role in my life and in me coming here," Motlhalo explained as she revealed that she chose Glasgow in search of a "new experience" and "new challenge".

Having had a season in the National Women's Soccer League with Houston Dash, the attacking midfielder spent the next year with Beijing Phoenix before switching to Swedish football in 2020.

Motlhalo played 26 times, all but two of them starts, as Djurgardens finished 10th of 14 sides in the 2022 Damallsvenskan that ended in November.

Although she scored just once for the Swedish top-flight side last term, she has proved more prolific for her country since finding the net on her international debut aged 17 and now has 16 goals in 62 games for South Africa.

Now she could make her debut for the Scottish Women's Premier League leaders in Sunday's trip to face third-top reigning champions Rangers.

City head coach Leanne Ross is "excited" to have secured a key figure in Desiree Ellis' international side who recently helped them win the Africa Cup of Nations and is also likely to be in the squad for the World Cup finals in Australia/New Zealand this summer.

"Linda arrives with a wealth of experience on her CV from her time in some of the top leagues in the world and her impressive international career with South Africa," she added.