Siphiwe Tshabalala

Siphiwe Tshabalala

Tshabalala playing for South Africa at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	Lawrence Siphiwe Dambuza Tshabalala
Date of birth	(1984-09-25) 25 September 1984 (age 32)
Place of birth	Soweto, South Africa
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Winger Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	Kaizer Chiefs
Number	14
Youth career
1991–1994	Phiri Arsenal
1994–1997	Phiri Movers
1997–2002	Kaizer Chiefs F.C
2002–2003	Moroka Swallows
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Alexandra United	26	(7)
2004–2007	Free State Stars	64	(31)
2007–	Kaizer Chiefs	209	(34)
National team
2006–2015	South Africa	90	(12)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 May 2015.

Lawrence Siphiwe Tshabalala (born 25 September 1984), is a South African professional football midfielder who plays for and captains Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League.

Tshabalala being one of the most well known and most decorated South African footballers of his generation, was the first player to make his international debut while still playing in the National First Division. At 90 caps, he is the second most capped player of the South African National Team and played at three African Cup of Nations editions and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, at which he scored the first goal on 11 June 2010 which was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award. In August 2015, Tshabalala's 40-yard volley received Internet recognition and received 70,000 hits in its first 60 minutes of being uploaded in England. Tshabalala is a winger but has played other midfielder roles.

Tshabalala was born on 29 September 1984 in Phiri as the first born of two children of Isaac Tshabalala (1964–) and Hadifele Rebecca (née Makhubu) (1965– 5 December 2010). He has a younger sister, Mpumi. Tshabalala grew up and lived in a face brick house until he was 19, owned by his grandparents around his cousins and siblings all in one house and his father was the breadwinner and worked as a taxi driver. He attended secondary school at Seanamarena Secondary School in Phiri, Soweto. Tshabalala aspired to be a chartered accountant as a child.

Tshabalala played at the Kaizer Chiefs academy but only broke through to the senior team after spells with Alexandra United and Free State Stars. In January 2007 Chiefs brought back their own product after Ea Lla Koto was relegated to the National First Division at the end of the 2005/06 campaign. At the time, Tshabalala was then sidelined for six months due to a serious knee injury.