Percy Tau

Last updated

Percy Tau
Personal information
Full name Percy Muzi Tau [1]
Date of birth (1994-05-13) 13 May 1994 (age 30) [1]
Place of birth Witbank, South Africa
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) [1]
Position(s) Forward, Winger
Team information
Current team
Al Ahly
Number 10
Youth career
Mamelodi Sundowns
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2013–2018 Mamelodi Sundowns 65 (18)
2015–2016Witbank Spurs (loan) 11 (3)
2018–2021 Brighton & Hove Albion 3 (0)
2018–2019Union SG (loan) 23 (6)
2019–2020Club Brugge (loan) 18 (3)
2020–2021Anderlecht (loan) 14 (4)
2021– Al Ahly 51 (15)
International career
2015– South Africa 50 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2024

Percy Muzi Tau (born 13 May 1994) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a forward for Egyptian Premier League club Al Ahly and the South Africa national team.

Contents

Tau began his footballing career with Premier Soccer League side Mamelodi Sundowns where he made 100 appearances either side of a loan to Witbank Spurs. During his time with Sundowns, he won the league title twice and the CAF Champions League once and was named Footballer of the Year and joint-top-goalscorer in his final season with the club.

Tau joined Brighton & Hove Albion in 2018 but, due to work-permit complications, was loaned out to Belgian side Union SG with whom he won the Proximus League Player of the Season award. His form earned him a short-term move to Club Brugge, where he won a league winners' medal the following season, before being loaned out for a third consecutive season when he signed for rivals Anderlecht in 2020.

Tau signed for Egyptian Premier League side Al Ahly in 2021 on a two-year contract. He became the highest scoring South African in the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2023 when he scored his third goal of the competition.

Club career

Mamelodi Sundowns

Born in Witbank, [2] Tau began his career with Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League. He made his professional debut for the club on 25 February 2014 in the league against Orlando Pirates. He came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Domingues as Sundowns lost 1–0. [3] Tau then scored his first professional goal for the club during a Nedbank Cup match on 22 March 2014 against Golden Arrows. His 90th-minute goal was the fourth and final goal for Sundowns as they won 4–1 against the Arrows. [4] He then scored his first goal in international club competition on 5 April 2015 in a CAF Champions League match against TP Mazembe. He scored the Sundown's one and only goal of the match in the 84th minute as Mamelodi Sundowns fell 3–1. [5] After two seasons and rarely appearing for Mamelodi Sundowns, Tau was released in the 2014–15 season.[ citation needed ]

On the advice of then-youth coach Rhulani Mokwena, he was loaned to National First Division side Witbank Spurs instead. [6] He made his debut for the club on 6 February 2016 in a 3–1 win over African Warriors and went on to score 3 goals in 11 appearances during his loan spell. [7]

After a season with Witbank Spurs, Tau rejoined Mamelodi Sundowns and was included in the squad for the club's CAF Champions League campaign. He featured throughout and played every minute of both legs of a 3–1 aggregate win over Egyptian side Zamalek in the CAF Champions League Final. The victory was Sundowns' first ever triumph in a continental competition. [8] He then scored his first goal in the league for the club on 2 November 2016 against Polokwane City. He scored the first of two goals for the side as they went on to win 2–0. [9] Tau then made his debut for the side in the FIFA Club World Cup on 11 December 2016 against Kashima Antlers. Sundowns were knocked-out of the competition after losing to the Japanese side 2–0. [10] During the fifth-place match, Tau scored the only goal for Sundowns as they fell 4–1 to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors of South Korea. [11]

During the 2017–18 season, Tau scored 11 goals to help Mamelodi Sundowns to the league title. His form throughout the season saw him share the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot with Rodney Ramagalela and earned him the Footballer of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards. [12] As a result of his achievements, Tau was courted by a number of European clubs during the off-season. Amidst the speculation surrounding his future, he refused to join Sundowns in the pre-season preparations in an attempt to force through a move. [13] [14]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 20 July 2018, Tau signed a four-year contract with English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, [15] for an undisclosed transfer fee, [13] reported to be in the region of R50 million (UK£2.7 million), a South African record sale of a domestic player. [13] Brighton manager, Chris Hughton, confirmed that Tau would be loaned out shortly after his transfer, after failing a UK work permit, as well as him wanting the South African international to gain European football experience. [16] On 7 January 2021, he returned to Brighton & Hove Albion, after being recalled from his loan spell at Anderlecht. [17] [18]

Loan to Union SG

On 15 August, Tau joined Belgian second division side Union SG, owned by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, on a season-long loan. [19] [20] He was immediately introduced into the first team and played a particularly important role in the Belgian Cup during the first half of the season, scoring four goals in six appearances to help the club reach the semi-finals after recording historic wins over both Anderlecht and Genk. [21] [22]

In April 2019, after scoring six goals and recording seven assist to help Union finish the season in second place, Tau was one of three players nominated for the Player of the Season award, alongside teammate Faïz Selemani. [23] He ultimately won the award and was named in the league's team of the season. [24] [25]

Loan to Club Brugge

On 29 July 2019, Tau signed for Belgian side Club Brugge on loan for the 2019–20 season. [26] He made his debut for the club on 2 August 2019 against Sint-Truiden where he scored in the club's 6–0 home victory. [27] On 13 August, he was sent off with for a second bookable offence during a 3–3 away draw against Dynamo Kiev in what was only his second career Champions League game. Brugge went through 4–3 on aggregate. [28] Tau appeared in the 2–2 away draw at Real Madrid on 1 October, where he assisted the first goal. [29]

The league was ended in May with one remaining match to be played due to Covid–19. Tau played 18 league matches scoring three as Club Bruges won the title, finishing 15 points clear of 2nd place. [30]

Loan to Anderlecht

On 4 August 2020, Tau signed for Belgian club Anderlecht, on a one-year loan. [31] He made his debut for the club on 16 August 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute against Sint-Truiden, and scored his first goal as Anderlecht won the match 3-1. [32]

Return to Brighton

On 7 January 2021, Tau was recalled by parent club Brighton, after just four months at Anderlecht, following the club receiving a Governing Body Endorsement, the new points-based system for non-English players which came into force when the transition period following the UK's exit from the European Union ended, from the FA for Tau. [17] [18] On 10 January 2021, 905 days after signing for The Seagulls Tau made his debut coming on as a substitute in an FA Cup third round tie away at Newport County in which Brighton eventually won on penalties. [33] Three days later he made his league debut for Brighton starting in the 1–0 Premier League loss at Manchester City. [34] On 15 May, while only making his third Premier League appearance Tau sent in a through ball to Danny Welbeck who chipped the ball over keeper Łukasz Fabiański putting The Seagulls ahead in an eventual 1–1 home draw against West Ham. [35]

Al Ahly

Tau signed a permanent deal for Egyptian Premier League Al Ahly on 26 August 2021. [36] Tau played in the 2021 CAF Super Cup on 22 December, in which he assisted Al Ahly's goal in the eventual penalty shootout victory. [37]

International career

Tau made his debut for South Africa on 17 October 2015 in a 0–2 loss to Angola in a 2016 African Nations Championship qualification match. [38] On 25 March 2017, he scored his first international goal in the 69th minute against Guinea-Bissau after receiving a yellow card two minutes earlier.

On 13 October 2018, Tau was one of South Africa's goal scorers as the nation recorded its largest ever victory with a 6–0 win over Seychelles in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. [39] On 24 March 2019, he scored twice in a 2–1 win over Libya to secure South Africa's qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. [40] His brace took him to four goals for the qualifying campaign, ranking him among the highest goalscorers in qualification. [41]

Tau was named in the South African squad for the 2019 edition of the African Cup of Nations. [42] He started in all five games for his country where they made the quarter-final stage, losing to Nigeria to deny them a semi-final spot. [43]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 May 2024 [44] [45] [38]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cup [b] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mamelodi Sundowns 2013–14 South African Premier Division 1011000021
2014–15 5010001 [c] 11 [d] 081
2016–17 29710207 [c] 24 [d] 0439
2017–18 3011321013 [c] 03 [e] 15014
Total651863302138110325
Witbank Spurs (loan) 2015–16 National First Division 11300113
Brighton & Hove Albion 2018–19 Premier League 00000000
2019–20 00000000
2020–21 30300060
2021–22 00000000
Total303000000060
Union SG (loan) 2018–19 Belgian First Division B 236646 [f] 33513
Club Brugge (loan) 2019–20 Belgian Pro League 183418 [g] 000304
Anderlecht (loan) 2020–21 Belgian Pro League14400144
Al Ahly 2021–22 Egyptian Premier League 2052010 [c] 32 [h] 0348
2022–23 2134112 [c] 55 [i] 14210
2023–24 850012 [c] 110 [j] 1297
Total5115610034917210625
Career total1834725930631231630574
  1. Includes Nedbank Cup, FA Cup, Belgian Cup, Egypt Cup
  2. Includes Carling Knockout Cup
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in CAF Champions League
  4. 1 2 Appearance(s) in MTN 8
  5. One appearance in MTN 8, two appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup
  6. Appearances in Belgian Pro League European play-offs
  7. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
  8. One appearance in Egyptian Super Cup, one appearance in CAF Super Cup
  9. Four appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup, one appearance in Egyptian Super Cup
  10. One appearance in CAF Super Cup, four appearances in African Football League, three appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup, two appearances in Egyptian Super Cup

International

As of match played 7 June 2024 [38]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Africa 201520
201600
201794
201863
201992
202033
202161
202210
202362
202481
Total5016
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first. [38]
List of international goals scored by Percy Tau
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
125 March 2017 Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South AfricaFlag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau 2–03–1 Friendly
210 June 2017 Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, NigeriaFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 2–02–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
37 October 2017 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South AfricaFlag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso 1–03–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
414 November 2017 Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, SenegalFlag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 1–11–22018 FIFA World Cup qualification
524 March 2018 Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, ZambiaFlag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 1–02–0 2018 Four Nations Tournament
614 October 2018FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South AfricaFlag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles 4–06–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
720 November 2018Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South AfricaFlag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 1–11–1Friendly
824 March 2019 Stade Taïeb Mhiri, Sfax, TunisiaFlag of Libya.svg  Libya 1–02–12019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
92–1
1013 November 2020Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South AfricaFlag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg  São Tomé and Príncipe 1–02–0 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
1116 November 2020 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South AfricaFlag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg  São Tomé and Príncipe 2–14–2
124–2
1325 March 2021FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South AfricaFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1–11–1
1417 March 2023FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South AfricaFlag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1–02–1 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
1518 November 2023Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South AfricaFlag of Benin.svg  Benin 1–02–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
1621 January 2024 Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo, Ivory CoastFlag of Namibia.svg  Namibia 1–04–0 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Mamelodi Sundowns

Club Brugge

Al Ahly

South Africa

Individual

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