Thulani Serero
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thulani Caleb Serero | ||
| Date of birth | 11 April 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Soweto, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder / Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2004 | Senaoane Gunners | ||
| 2004–2008 | Ajax Cape Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Ajax Cape Town | 63 | (17) |
| 2011–2017 | Ajax | 88 | (8) |
| 2013–2017 | → Jong Ajax | 6 | (0) |
| 2017– | Vitesse | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2007 | South Africa U17 | 15 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | South Africa U20 | 14 | (1) |
| 2012 | South Africa U23 | 0 | (0) |
| 2011– | South Africa | 36 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 May 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:42, 12 November 2016 (UTC) |
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Thulani Caleb Serero (born 11 April 1990) is a South African footballer who last played as a midfielder for AFC Ajax and South Africa. Prior to joining Ajax, he played for Ajax Cape Town in the South African Premier Soccer League.
Born in Mapetla, Soweto, Serero is a product of the Ajax Cape Town's youth academy having been promoted to the first team in 2008, making his debut under then head coach Craig Rosslee. He made a total of 11 appearances in the regular 2008–09 PSL season, and managed to score four times, helping his side to a 7th-place finish by the end of the season. The following season saw Serero become the first choice playmaker at the Cape club, making a total of 25 appearances during the regular season, and scoring twice. Ajax CT would finish in 7th place again that season, with Serero gaining much attention from the local media for his performances on the pitch.
During the 2010–11 season, under Foppe de Haan, Serero helped the Cape side to a second place regular season finish scoring 11 league goals, and helped his team to reach the finals of the Telkom Knockout tournament. At the end of the season he was awarded a number of accolades, including PSL Footballer of the Year, PSL Player of the Season, PSL Players' Player of the Season and the ABSA Premiership Red Hot Young Player award. On 22 May 2011, he was signed by AFC Ajax for € 2.5 million.
Serero had had several trials with parent club AFC Ajax in the preceding years. On 22 May 2011 it was announced that he had signed a four-year contract with Ajax and he stated it was 'a dream come true'. He made his debut for Ajax on 7 August 2011 coming on as a substitute player in the match against De Graafschap. He only played in a total of 6 matches in his first season with Ajax due to an injury. He scored his first goal for AFC Ajax in the home win against NAC Breda on 25 August 2012. Two weeks later he scored two goals against SC Heerenveen, receiving a red card and being sent off in the same match. On 1 September 2013 Serero made his debut in the starting 11 of Ajax, replacing Christian Eriksen who had just left for Tottenham Hotspur, playing in the midfield.
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