Siphiwe Tshabalala

South African soccer player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lawrence Siphiwe Tshabalala (/sɪˈpiːweɪ ˌtʃæbəˈlɑːlə/; born 25 September 1984) is a South African former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder.

Full name Lawrence Siphiwe Tshabalala[1]
Date of birth (1984-09-25) 25 September 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth Phiri, Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Siphiwe Tshabalala
Personal information
Full name Lawrence Siphiwe Tshabalala[1]
Date of birth (1984-09-25) 25 September 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth Phiri, Soweto, South Africa
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Positions
Youth career
1991–1994 Phiri Arsenal
1994–1997 Phiri Movers
1997–2002 Kaizer Chiefs
2002–2003 Moroka Swallows
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Alexandra United 26 (7)
2004–2007 Free State Stars 64 (31)
2007–2018 Kaizer Chiefs 292 (48)
2018–2019 BB Erzurumspor 17 (0)
2020–2021 AmaZulu 2 (0)
Total 401 (86)
International career‡
2006–2017 South Africa 90 (12)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:18, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:24, 21 June 2019 (UTC)
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He is considered to be one of the most well-known and decorated South African soccer players of his generation. He was the first player to make his international debut while still playing in the National First Division. At 90 caps, he is the second most capped player of the South African national team and played at three African Cup of Nations editions and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, at which he scored the opening goal of the tournament on 11 June 2010; the goal was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award.

Early life

Tshabalala was born on 25 September 1984 in Phiri as the first born of two children to parents Isaac Tshabalala (born 1964) and Hadifele Rebecca (née Makhubu) (1965–2010). His younger sister is named Mpumi. He grew up and lived in a face brick house until he was 19,[2] that was owned by his grandparents. He lived there with his cousins and sister. His father worked as a taxi driver.[3] He attended secondary school at Seanamarena Secondary School in Phiri, Soweto.[4] Tshabalala aspired to be a chartered accountant as a young boy.[5]

Club career

Kaizer Chiefs

Tshabalala played at the Kaizer Chiefs academy but only broke through to the senior team after spells with Alexandra United and Free State Stars. In January 2007 Chiefs brought back their own product after Ea Lla Koto was relegated to the National First Division at the end of the 2005/06 campaign.[6] At the time, Tshabalala was then sidelined for six months due to a serious knee injury.[7] Tshabalala eventually made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Bidvest Wits on 31 August 2007.[8] Tshabalala made his Soweto derby debut on 24 November 2007 in a 2–2 draw.[9] Tshabalala played his first ever cup final on 1 December 2007 in the Telkom Knockout winning after a penalty shootout against Mamelodi Sundowns and played the full 120 minutes.[10] He scored his first Chiefs goal on 12 December 2007 in a 4–2 win over Golden Arrows.[11]

Tshabalala continued to consistently deliver great goals, winning him the Player and Players' Player of the Year at the Kaizer Chiefs Awards Ceremony. He also picked up the Website Player of the Year, Goal of the Season and Readers’ Choice awards. All-and-all Tshabalala left the awards with R170 000 in prize-money, as well as a Nissan X-Trail.[12] On 25 August 2015, Tshabalala gained attention for a volleyed goal from well outside the area which was nominated as one of the goals of the South African season. The goal, which came in a 4–0 win over Free State Stars coincidentally took place at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, the same venue where Tshabalala had scored a similar goal against Mexico in the world cup five years earlier.[13] He made a total of 372 appearances scoring 58 goals.[14]

Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor

On 28 August 2019, Kaizer Chiefs announced that Tshabalala would be leaving for Turkish side Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor.[14][15]

AmaZulu

Tshabalala returned to South Africa in October 2020, joining South African Premier Division club AmaZulu F.C.[16] He signed a one-year contract with the option of a second year.[17] He was released in August 2021.[17]

International career

Tshabalala was one of the first players to be called up to the South Africa national team while still playing in the National First Division. Tshabalala made his national team debut in a friendly against Egypt on 14 January 2006. He was part of the South African squad at 2006 African Nations Cup, 2008 African Nations Cup, 2013 African Nations Cup, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. On 11 June 2010, gaining his 50th cap for the nation of South Africa,[18] he scored the opening goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Mexico in the 55th minute, which brought great excitement to the fans of South Africa.[19] The game finished a 1–1 draw.[20] The goal was noted for its celebration, Tshabalala's choreographed dancing with his teammates,[21][22][23] and eventually made the shortlist for the Puskas Award, a nomination for goal of the year by FIFA.[24][25]

In October 2017, Tshabalala was called up to two of South Africa's World Cup qualifying matches against Senegal – for the first time since 2014.[26]

Style of play

Goal.com described Tshabalala as "a tricky winger with pace and can deliver fantastic crosses. His left boot can pack a powerful shot and he is a great option for set pieces as he has the ability to bend the ball".[27]

Endorsements

In October 2009, Tshabalala and Arsenal's Cesc Fàbregas were the first two players to launch the new Nike CTR360 Maestri boots.[28]

Personal life

Tshabalala's mother Rebecca Hadifele "Hadi" Makhubu (1965–2010) died on 5 December 2010, after sustaining a head injury after falling at a bridal shower which she was attending with her husband Isaac. She was buried at the Avalon Cemetery on 11 December 2010 in Soweto. The funeral was attended by notable figures such as Pitso Mosimane, Jimmy Tau, Morgan Gould as well as a performance by Joyous Celebration.[29] A Limpopo man named Samson Nangani claimed that Tshabalala was his child and lost contact with his mother while she was still pregnant. Tshabalala denied being Nangani's son.[30]

Tshabalala was involved in a love scandal with Zanele Khanye Skhosana and former Atlético Madrid academy player Robin Ngalande, where one of them allegedly impregnated her.[31] Tshabalala's first child, Owami,[32] a boy, was born on 6 February 2015 by former Miss South Africa, Bokang Montjane whom he had been dating since 2012.[33] The pair married in 2016.[34]

Career statistics

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tshabalala goal.
More information No., Date ...
List of international goals scored by Siphiwe Tshabalala
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
126 March 2008Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville, South Africa Paraguay3–03–0Friendly
211 October 2008Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea1–01–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification
328 March 2009Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa Norway2–12–1Friendly
427 January 2010Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa Zimbabwe1–03–0Friendly
531 March 2010Estadio Defensores del Chaco Asunción, Paraguay Paraguay1–11–1Friendly
616 May 2010Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Thailand1–04–0Friendly
711 June 2010FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Mexico1–01–12010 FIFA World Cup
810 August 2011Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Burkina Faso2–03–0Friendly
915 June 2012Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa Gabon1–03–0Friendly
1022 December 2012Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa Malawi2–03–1Friendly
118 June 2013Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon Central African Republic2–03–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
1217 August 2013FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Burkina Faso1–02–0Friendly
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Honours

Free State Stars

Kaizer Chiefs

Individual

References

External links

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