Thabo "Festival" Matlaba (born 13 December 1987) is a South African

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

defender who most recently played for

Premier Soccer League Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

club

Black Leopards Black Leopards FC is a South African football club based in Thohoyandou, Vhembe Region, Limpopo that plays in the National First Division. History The club was founded in 1983 by business people in the Vhembe Region. In 1998 the club was tak ...

now playing for Royal AM. 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.

Career statistics

International career

He made his debut for

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

on 14 May 2011 versus

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

in an international friendly. Matlaba scored his first international goal with a drive in a World Cup qualifier against the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...

on 23 March 2013.

International goals

:''Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.'' Style of play He is well known for his excellent burst of outstanding overlapping pace, a versatile player or utility player

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Matlaba, Thabo 1987 births Living people People from Tembisa Association football defenders South Africa international soccer players South African soccer players Free State Stars F.C. players Black Leopards F.C. players Orlando Pirates F.C. players South African Premier Division players 2013 Africa Cup of Nations players 2015 Africa Cup of Nations players Sportspeople from Gauteng