Thabo Matlaba
South African soccer player (born 1987)
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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.
| 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 | |||
Club career
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]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 30 January 2018[6]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Free State Stars | 2010–11 | Premier Soccer League | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 3 |
| 2011–12 | Premier Soccer League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | ||
| Orlando Pirates | 2011–12 | Premier Soccer League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | Premier Soccer League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2[a] | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier Soccer League | 25 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11[b] | 2 | 45 | 4 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier Soccer League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier Soccer League | 24 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier Soccer League | 24 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2017–18 | Premier Soccer League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 139 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 190 | 13 | ||
| Career total | 172 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 223 | 16 | ||
- Three appearances in MTN 8, eight appearances in CAF Champions League
International
- Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[6]
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 23 March 2013 | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa |  Central African Republic | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
