An African soccer player has some explaining to do after he thanked his wife and girlfriend in a post-match interview on Friday.

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South African Premier League player Mohammed Anas had just been awarded the Man of the Match title when he made the blunder on live television.

“I appreciate my fans also,” the Ghanaian striker said during the interview. “My wife and my girlfriend, I mean, yeah, sorry to say. I’m so sorry -- my wife, I love you so much.”

Anas’ team, the South African Free State Stars, had just played Ajax Cape Town, another South African team.

Anas later said that he refers to his daughter as his girlfriend.

“My family knows that I call my daughter my girlfriend. That's what I was talking about. I don't have a girlfriend,” he said.

Anas said he’s not worried about upsetting his wife of seven years because she knows he is loyal.

"I love her so much. She's given me two beautiful children. She is fine. She knows what kind of man I am, so I am not worried," he told the BBC.

Brianna Chambers contributed to this report.

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