Mpho Makola (born 4 May 1986) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National First Division club Polokwane City.[1] He previously played for Free State Stars and Orlando Pirates, before being transferred to Cape Town City in 2019. He parted ways with Cape Town City in early February 2023.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mpho Terence Makola | ||
| Date of birth | 4 May 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Alexandra, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Polokwane City | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Alex Sheffield | |||
| 1999–2003 | Kaizer Chiefs | ||
| Bidvest Wits | |||
| Vaal University of Technology | |||
| Africa Sport Youth | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2012 | Free State Stars | 68 | (6) |
| 2012–2019 | Orlando Pirates | 137 | (14) |
| 2019–2023 | Cape Town City | 81 | (3) |
| 2023– | Polokwane City | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015– | South Africa | 7 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 May 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 September 2016 | |||
Early life edit
Makola was born and raised in Alexandra and attended school in Yeoville Community Primary School and Barnato Park High School where he was a sports all rounder. He joined the Kaizer Chiefs academy in 1999 from Alex Sheffield. By the age of 15, Makola became his family's main breadwinner and took care of his mother and six siblings. As a teenager, Makola consumed drugs and hung around gangsters and nearly joined a hijacking syndicate. He later played for Vaal University of Technology and earned R900 a month.[2]
Career statistics edit
- As of 30 January 2018[3]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Free State Stars | 2009–10 | Premier Soccer League | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 |
| 2010–11 | Premier Soccer League | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | Premier Soccer League | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| Total | 68 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 6 | ||
| Orlando Pirates | 2012–13 | Premier Soccer League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2013–14 | Premier Soccer League | 17 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 1 | 25 | 4 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier Soccer League | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier Soccer League | 24 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | 33 | 9 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier Soccer League | 26 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | 35 | 3 | |
| 2017–18 | Premier Soccer League | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| Total | 118 | 14 | 17 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 156 | 22 | ||
| Career totals | 186 | 20 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 227 | 28 | ||
International career edit
He scored on his international debut against Senegal in an international friendly on 8 September 2015.
International goals edit
- Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[3]
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 September 2015 | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Senegal |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 6 September 2016 | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Egypt |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
References edit
- ^ http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/south-africa/absa-premiership/players/2013-2014/pirates/03-mpho-makola.html [dead link]
- ^ "Kickoff December 2015".
- ^ a b Mpho Makola at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 May 2023.