Thabo Matlaba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Date of birth
13 December 1987
Place of birth
Tembisa, South Africa
Height
1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position
Left-back
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 December 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Tembisa, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lamontville Golden Arrows F.C. | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leicester City (South Africa) | |||
| Mighty Tigers | |||
| M Tigers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | Free State Stars | 33 | (3) |
| 2012–2019 | Orlando Pirates | 149 | (9) |
| 2019–2020 | Black Leopards | 24 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | Swallows | 40 | (0) |
| 2022–2025 | Royal AM | 72 | (5) |
| 2025– | Lamontville Golden Arrows F.C. | 9 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011– | South Africa | 29 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 January 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 12 November 2016 | |||
Thabo "Festival" Matlaba (born 13 December 1987) is a South African professional association footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier Soccer League club Golden Arrows. He is known for his long range shots with both his feet. Although he plays mostly as a left back, Matlaba is naturally right-footed.
Orlando Pirates
Matlaba played for Orlando Pirates from the 2012 till 2019.[1]
Golden Arrows
In 2025 he joined Premier Soccer League club Golden Arrows.[2]
International career
Matlaba made his debut for South Africa on 14 May 2011 versus Tanzania in an international friendly.[3]
Matlaba scored his first international goal with a 40-yard (37 m) drive in a World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic on 23 March 2013.[4][5]
