Thabo Cele

Thabo Cele
Cele with Fakel Voronezh in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-01-15) 15 January 1997 (age 29)
Place of birth KwaMashu, South Africa
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kaizer Chiefs
Number 21
Youth career
2012-2013 Kwamashu Arsenal
2014–2015 KwaMashu All Stars
2015–2016 KZN Football Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Real 24 (2)
2017–2018 Benfica B 6 (0)
2018 → Real (loan) 14 (1)
2018–2021 Cova da Piedade 70 (5)
2021–2023 Radomiak Radom 33 (0)
2023–2025 Fakel Voronezh 18 (0)
2025– Kaizer Chiefs 21 (0)
International career‡
2017 South Africa U20 3 (0)
2019–2021 South Africa U23 6 (0)
2017– South Africa 5 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 January 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:55, 14 July 2023 (UTC)

Thabo Cele (born 15 January 1997) is a South African professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns.

Career

Cele was born in KwaMashu.

In 2016, Cele signed for Portuguese third division side Real from the KZN Academy in South Africa.

In 2017, he signed for Benfica, Portugal's most successful club, before returning to Real on loan.[citation needed]

In 2018, Cele moved to Cova da Piedade in the Portuguese second division.[citation needed]

On 12 October 2021, after training with the team since September, Cele joined Polish side Radomiak Radom on a two-year deal.

On 16 August 2023, Cele was transferred to Russian Premier League club Fakel Voronezh. In January 2025, Cele left Fakel by mutual consent.

On 27 January 2025, Cele signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Kaizer Chiefs.In September 2026, he agreed to mutually terminate his contract with the club.

On 10 September 2026, Cele signed for Mamelodi Sundowns as a free agent on a two-year contract, with an option to extend the deal.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal 2424100——283
Benfica B 2017–18 Liga Portugal 2 60————60
Real (loan) 2017–18 Liga Portugal 2 141————141
Cova da Piedade 2018–19 Liga Portugal 2 27200000000272
2019–20 Liga Portugal 2 1400010——150
2020–21 Liga Portugal 2 2932000——313
Total 7052010——735
Radomiak Radom 2021–22 Ekstraklasa 13000———130
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 20000———200
Total 33000———330
Fakel Voronezh 2023–24 Russian Premier League 9040———130
2024–25 Russian Premier League 9050———140
Total 18090———270
Career total 16581511000001819

International

As of match played 14 July 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Africa
201710
202340
Total50

Honours

Kaizer Chiefs

Mamelodi Sundowns

References

  1. 1 2 Thabo Cele at Soccerway
  2. 1 2 Kohler, Lorenz (10 September 2026). "Official: Sundowns Announce Latest Signing". iDiski Times. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Carlos Catalino: «Benfica está entusiasmado com Thabo Cele». futebol365.pt.
  4. ↑ "Thabo Cele w Radomiaku!" (in Polish). Radomiak Radom. 12 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "Табо Селе – игрок "Факела"" (in Russian). FC Fakel Voronezh. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Табо Селе покидает «Факел»" (in Russian). FC Fakel Voronezh. 21 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Chiefs strengthen squad with signing of Cele". Kaizer Chiefs F.C. 27 January 2025.
  8. ↑ Rabothe, Tshepo (7 September 2026). "Kaizer Chiefs terminate Thabo Cele's contract". FARPost. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  9. ↑ "Thabo Cele". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "Thabo Cele". 90minut.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 16 January 2026.