Siyabulela Shai
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Siyabulela Mbali Shai | ||
| Date of birth | 18 March 1993 | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Marumo Gallants | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mamelodi Sundowns | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2016 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → United FC (loan) | 24 | (3) |
| 2013–2015 | → Chippa United (loan) | 42 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | → Maritzburg United (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2017 | EC Bees | ||
| 2017–2018 | Black Leopards | 4 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila | 4 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | VOS Milan | ||
| 2020–2023 | Sekhukhune United | 46 | (4) |
| 2023–2024 | Platinum City Rovers | 15 | (1) |
| 2024– | Marumo Gallants | 6 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 November 2024 | |||
Siyabulela Mbali Shai (born 18 March 1993) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Marumo Gallants in the South African Premier Division.
He hails from Wattville and is a son of Mamelodi Sundowns player Isaac Shai. Siyabulela Shai too was given a chance at Mamelodi Sundowns,[1][2] but was loaned out to several clubs. He got his Premier Soccer League debut on loan at Chippa United in 2014.[3] In 2015–16 he was on loan at Maritzburg United, but was recalled to Sundowns in January 2016.[4]
He departed from the Sundowns due to not getting playing time.[5] He surfaced at the club EC Bees in 2017. The team contested the SAFA Second Division, but was in the round of 32 of the 2016–17 Nedbank Cup.[6]
Shai stayed in the second tier with Black Leopards and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila without playing regularly.[7] In 2019–20 he played for VOS Milan in the Regional League,[8] which was also hampered by the pandemic. A move to All Stars was also put on hold, but in late 2020 he was finally able to restart his career in Sekhukhune United.[9] The club was promoted to the 2021–22 South African Premier Division, which marked Shai's return to the first tier after a several-year absence. He did not play often in 2021–22, however, and was accused of "off-the-field antics".[10][11] He got more playing time in the 2022–23 season, but afterwards left for Platinum City Rovers.[7] In 2024 he returned to the first tier, signing for Marumo Gallants.[12]