Thembi Kgatlana Explained

Thembi Kgatlana
Fullname:Christina Thembi Kgatlana[1]
Birth Date:1996 5, df=y
Birth Place:Mohlakeng, South Africa[2]
Height:1.56m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Tigres UANL
Clubnumber:16
Clubs1:Tshwane Univ. of Technology
Clubs2:Lusaka FC
Clubs3:Napoli FC
Clubs4:Parma Ladies
Clubs5:Univ. of the Western Cape
Years6:2018
Clubs6:Houston Dash
Caps6:16
Goals6:2
Years7:2019
Clubs7:Beijing BG Phoenix
Caps7:10
Goals7:6
Years8:2020
Clubs8:Benfica
Caps8:2
Goals8:3
Years9:2020–2021
Clubs9:Eibar
Caps9:27
Goals9:10
Years10:2021–2022
Clubs10:Atlético Madrid
Caps10:25
Goals10:6
Years11:2022–2023
Clubs11:Racing Louisville
Caps11:18
Goals11:2
Years12:2024–
Clubs12:Tigres UANL
Caps12:9
Goals12:4
Nationalyears1:2014–
Nationalteam1:South Africa
Nationalcaps1:34
Nationalgoals1:13
Club-Update:08:21, 28 July 2023 (UTC)
Ntupdate:24 September 2023

Christina Thembi "Pikinini" Kgatlana (born 2 May 1996) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Liga MX Femenil club Tigres UANL Femenil and the South Africa women's national team.

Club career

Houston Dash

In February 2018, Kgatlana moved to the United States to join the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League. She was brought in by her former national team coach Vera Pauw. Kgatlana joined her South African teammates Janine van Wyk and Linda Motlhalo in Houston.[3] Kgatlana made 16 appearances with Houston and she scored 2 goals.[4]

Kgatlana was waived by the Houston Dash on 6 February 2019 so she could sign with Beijing BG Phoenix F.C.[5]

Beijing BG Phoenix

On 22 February 2019, Kgatlana was announced as having signed with Beijing BG Phoenix F.C. in the Chinese Women's Super League on a one-year deal. She was joined by South African teammate Linda Motlhalo who also made the move from Houston to China.[6]

Kgatlana scored six league goals in 10 appearances during the 2019 Chinese Women's Super League campaign, helping her Beijing BG Phoenix side to a fifth-place finish.

SL Benfica

On 27 January 2020 she signed with SL Benfica.[7] On 1 February 2020 she made her debut with the club being subbed on in a 3–1 win over Braga in Taça da Liga Feminina.[8]

Prior to their cancellation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kgatlana helped Benfica to the final of both Portuguese Cup and Taca da Liga Femenina competitions as well as the top of the league table. The result was enough to qualify the club for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in their history.

SD Eibar

Kgatlana's spell at Benfica came to an early end owing to complications arising from the COVID-19 crisis, with a salary cap introduced across Portuguese women's football. On 21 July 2020, it was announced that she had joined newly promoted Spanish Primera División side SD Eibar on a one-year contract.[9] Kgatlana made her debut on 4 October 2020 in a 1–0 victory over Real Betis, before opening her goalscoring account the following week in a 2–2 draw against Levante.[10]

On 31 October 2020, Kgatlana scored her second goal for the club on her first start in a 1–0 victory over Espanyol, however she was forced off with the game still in the first half due to a minor injury.[11] Upon her return from injury, she immediately returned to goalscoring form with a stunning strike in a 3–1 defeat to Real Madrid having once again entered from the substitutes bench.

Racing Louisville

NWSL club Racing Louisville paid a transfer fee to obtain Kgatlana on 6 July 2022. She signed a two-year contract with a club option for the 2024 season.[12] However, she missed the 2022 season after tearing her Achilles tendon against Botswana in the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations. She debuted for Racing on 6 May against Orlando Pride,[13] her first match since tearing her Achilles tendon in 2022.[14] On 12 May, joining the match as an 81st-minute substitute, she assisted on Racing's third goal of the match.

Tigres UANL

On 20 December 2023, Racing Louisville FC agreed to transfer Kgatlana to Tigres UANL for the second largest transfer fee in league history of $275,000.[15] [16]

International career

Kgatlana represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics[17] and the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations, where she won the Player of the Tournament and was the highest goal scorer.[18] She also represented South Africa at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, where she scored her country's first goal ever in the tournament. On 2 August 2023, she scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Italy in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup last group stage match, to be her country's first ever win in the competition which led to their qualification to the knockout phase.[19]

International goals

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
10 November 2016Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, ZimbabweFriendly
14 September 2017Luveve Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe2017 COSAFA Women's Championship
15 September 2017 Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
24 September 2017
2 March 2018 2018 Cyprus Cup
10 October 2018 Friendly
18 November 2018 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations
21 November 2018
24 November 2018 Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
27 November 2018 Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana
19 January 2019Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South AfricaFriendly
19 January 2019GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus2019 Cyprus Women's Cup
8 June 2019 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
10 April 2021 Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Friendly
13 April 2021
13 April 2021 Aisha Buhari Cup
18 February 2022 Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification
12 April 2022 Friendly
28 July 2023 2–0 2–2 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
2 August 2023 Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand 3–2 3–2
25 October 2023 1–1 1–1 2024 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
30 October 2023 Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 1–0 2–0
2–0
23 February 2024 2–0 3–0
27 February 2024 Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela, South Africa 1–0 1–0

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Houston Dash2018National Women's Soccer League2 (14)20000002 (14)2
Beijing BG Phoenix2019Chinese Women's Super League106 11 42 00 169
SL Benfica2019–2010 11 22 00 43
SD Eibar2020–21Primera División2110 00 00 00 2110
Atletico de Madrid2021–22Primera División256 10 00 00 266
Racing Louisville FC2023National Women's Soccer League182 10 00 00 10
Career total7124 42 64 00 7530

Personal life

On 5 December 2023, Kgatlana proposed to long-time girlfriend Abongile Dlan.[20]

Honours

Benfica

International

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: South Africa . . 20 . 27 May 2019 . 27 May 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190527124414/https://tournament.fifadata.com/documents/FWWC/2019/pdf/FWWC_2019_SQUADLISTS.PDF . 27 May 2019.
  2. News: Import . Pongrass . 2019-01-18 . Africa's female soccer star is from Mohlakeng . 2023-05-18 . Randfontein Herald . en-US.
  3. News: Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana signs for Houston Dash . 9 January 2019 . . 21 February 2018.
  4. Web site: T.KGATLANA . 19 March 2019.
  5. Web site: Houston Dash waive Banyana duo Thembi Kgatlana and Linda Motlhalo . 19 March 2019 . 6 February 2019.
  6. News: Kgatlana signs for Chinese club . FourFourTwo . Dylan . 5 May 2019 . 23 February 2019.
  7. Web site: Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana contratada. www.slbenfica.pt. pt. 2020-02-02.
  8. Web site: Deram a volta com muita pinta. www.slbenfica.pt. pt. 2020-02-02.
  9. Web site: 21 July 2020 . Thembi moves to Spain . 17 May 2023 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: Kgatlana rescues Eibar with maiden Spanish Iberdrola goal against Levante . . 2020-11-21.
  11. Web site: Kgatlana the herione on full debut as Eibar stun Espanyol . . 2020-11-21.
  12. Racing signs Kgatlana on transfer from Atlético Madrid . 24 March 2023 . 6 July 2022 . . en-US.
  13. News: Banyana star makes impressive home debut for new side . 13 May 2023 . 17 May 2023 . FARPost . Tlotlisang . Mollo.
  14. News: 11 July 2022 . South Africa dealt blow as Kgatlana ruled out of Wafcon with ruptured Achilles tendon . . Shina . Oludare . 17 May 2023 . en-US.
  15. Web site: Gutierrez . Jackie . Thembi Kgatlana To Tigres Marks Second-Highest Transfer Fee In NWSL . 2023-12-21 . Forbes . en.
  16. Web site: Morgan . Becky . Thembi Kgatlana transferred to Tigres; Louisville receives $275,000 transfer fee . Equalizer Soccer . 20 December 2023 . 23 January 2024.
  17. Web site: Athletes – Famous Olympic Athletes, Medalists, Sports Heroes . 24 September 2018 . 25 August 2016 . 26 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160826113839/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/thembi-kgatlana . dead .
  18. Web site: Banyana's Thembi Kgatlana named player of the tournament . Philasande . Sixaba . ewn.co.za.
  19. Web site: South Africa 3–2 Italy . BBC Sport . 2 August 2023 .
  20. Web site: Kgatlana goes down on one knee, proposes to girlfriend Abongile Dlani, video . 2023-12-21 . sportsbrief.com . en.
  21. Web site: 29 June 2023 . Magaia brace hands South Africa first TotalEnergies WAFCON trophy . 6 August 2023 . CAF .
  22. Web site: 2017 COSAFA Women's Championship – Day Nine Review – Final. 24 September 2017 . 2021-07-06. en-GB.
  23. Web site: 8 January 2019 . Aiteo CAF Awards 2018: Winners . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928021055/https://www.cafonline.com/news-center/news/aiteo-caf-awards-2018-winners . 28 September 2022 . 8 June 2021 . CAF.