Siyabonga Mabena

Last updated

Siyabonga Mabena
Go Ahead Eagles - Mamelodi Sundowns FC - 53066455283.jpg
Personal information
Full name Siyabonga Nicolas Mabena [1]
Date of birth (2007-02-18) 18 February 2007 (age 17)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Mamelodi Sundowns
Number 22
Youth career
Transnet School of Excellence
2022–2023 Mamelodi Sundowns
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023– Mamelodi Sundowns 13 (1)
International career‡
2022– South Africa U17 9 (10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 June 2023

Siyabonga Nicolas Mabena (born 18 February 2007) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a forward for Mamelodi Sundowns. He is regarded as one of the best young players in South Africa.

Contents

In 2024 mabena was included in the English newspaper The guardian's list of the best players born in 2007 worldwide.

Club career

Mabena progressed through the Transnet School of Excellence, before being subject to strong interest from fellow South African sides Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates in 2022. [2] He chose to join the Sundowns, with teammate Relebohile Ratomo joining the Pirates, and was promoted to the Sundowns' under-19 team at the age of fifteen. [3]

On 14 March 2023, he was a shock inclusion in Rhulani Mokwena's squad for the DStv Premiership match against Royal AM. [3] With the score at 5–1, Mabena was brought on as a substitute for Themba Zwane, becoming the fifth youngest debutant ever in the South African top flight in the process. [4] Following the game, manager Mokwena compared Mabena to the late Gift Leremi, lauding his balance, ability to play with both feet, and his change of direction at speed. [5] On the 27 of September 2023 Siyabonga Mabena became the youngest player to score in the Premier Soccer League at the age of 16 years 7 months and 9 days playing for Mamelodi Sundowns against Sekhukhune United.

International Career

Youth

Mabena was called up to the South African under-17 squad for the 2022 COSAFA Under-17 Championship. He scored five goals in South Africa's 11–0 win over the Seychelles, and followed this up with a hat trick in the 5–1 semi-final win over Malawi. [6] [7] Although South Africa were beaten 1–0 in the final by Zambia, Mabena was named both top scorer and player of the tournament, having scored nine goals in five appearances. [8]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 June 2023 [9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mamelodi Sundowns 2022–23 South African Premier Division 401 [a] 00050
Career total40100050
  1. ↑ Appearances in the Nedbank Cup

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teko Modise</span> South African footballer

Teko Tsholofelo Modise, nicknamed The General and Techno M, is a South African retired professional footballer, former Bafana Bafana captain who played as a midfielder and who is currently a staff member at Cape Town City Football Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kermit Erasmus</span> South African soccer player (born 1990)

Kermit Romeo Erasmus is a South African professional soccer player who played for South African Premier Soccer League side Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national team.

Andile Ernest Jali is a South African professional soccer player who once played for Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and is currently signed to Chippa United. He also plays for the South African national team.

Khama Billiat is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a winger.

Peter Shalulile is a Namibian professional footballer who plays as a striker for South African Premier Division club Mamelodi Sundowns and the Captain for Namibia national team. He is regarded as one of the best strikers to play in the South Africa top flight division.

The top tier of football in South Africa was renamed the Premier Soccer League, for the start of the 1996-97 season. The following page details the football records and statistics of the Premier Division since that date.

Percy Muzi Tau is a South African professional footballer who plays as a forward for Qatar Stars League side Qatar SC and the South Africa national team. He is regarded as one of the best wingers in Africa.

Siphesihle Ndlovu is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Premier Soccer League side SuperSport United and the South Africa national team. An academy graduate of Maritzburg United, he made his professional debut in 2016 and went on to make over 80 appearances for the club. During the 2017–18 season, he helped the club to record-high fourth-place finish in the league and was rewarded for his form with the Young Player of the Season award. At the end of the following season, he joined Orlando Pirates. He is a fan favorite in Pietermaritzburg and his nickname is Mbesuma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhulani Mokwena</span> South African football manager

Rhulani Mlungisi Mokwena is a South African football manager. He is currently Wydad AC Manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bongokuhle Hlongwane</span> South African soccer player

Bongokuhle Hlongwane is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United and the South African national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C.</span> Football club

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C. is a women's professional soccer club based in Pretoria, South Africa. The team competes in the SAFA Women's League, the top tier women's football league in South Africa. They are the most successful women's team in South Africa with seven titles. The team, together with the men's team are owned by Patrice Motsepe.

The 2022 COSAFA Under-17 Championship was the 11th edition of the COSAFA U-17 Championship, a football tournament organized by the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) involving teams from Southern Africa for players aged 17 and below. Malawi was the host of tournament from 2–11 December 2022.

Cassius Tumelo Mailula is a South African professional soccer player who plays for Moroccan club Wydad AC in the Botola on loan from Major League Soccer club Toronto FC and the South Africa national team.

Kegan Johannes is a South African soccer player who plays as a defender for SuperSport United in the Premier Soccer League.

Relebohile Mofokeng is a South African professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and winger for Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national team. He is regarded as one of the best players in South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thapelo Maseko</span> South African footballer (born 2003)

Thapelo Maseko is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa national team. He is regarded as one of the best young players in South Africa.

Oratile Dikgosi Mokwena is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for SAFA Women's League club Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa women's national team.

Tshepang Moremi is a South African soccer player who plays as a winger for Premier Soccer League club AmaZulu and the South Africa national team.

Zuko Mdunyelwa is a South African soccer player who plays as a defender for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League.

Sinoxolo Kwayiba is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Chippa United in the South African Premier Division.

References

  1. ↑ Siyabonga Mabena at WorldFootball.net
  2. ↑ Sang, Kiplagat (7 December 2022). "Mabena: How Orlando Pirates-Mamelodi Sundowns transfer tug-of-war over Bafana Bafana youngster was resolved". goal.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 Dove, Ed (14 March 2023). "Siyabonga Mabena: Who is 16-year-old ex-Orlando Pirates target on Mamelodi Sundowns' bench?". goal.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  4. ↑ Vardien, Tashreeq (15 March 2023). "LIST - Youngest debutants in PSL history after Sundowns field 16-year-old Siyabonga Mabena". news24.com. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Mphahlele, Mahlatse (15 March 2023). "Mokwena compares Sundowns' 16-year-old debutant Mabena to Gift Leremi". timeslive.co.za.
  6. ↑ "Zambia, South Africa start with Group B wins in Boys' U17 qualifiers". cosafa.com. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Zambia, South Africa book final places in Boys' U17 qualifier in Lilongwe". cosafa.com. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Zambia, South Africa both take gold at Region 5 Games Lilongwe 2022". cosafa.com. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  9. ↑ Siyabonga Mabena at Soccerway
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.