Keagan Dolly

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Keagan Dolly

| image = Keagan Dolly.JPG

| caption = Dolly while at Montpellier

| full_name = Keagan Larenzo Dolly{{Cite web |title=2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations - Group A squads |url=http://admin.cafonline.com/Portals/0/Group%20A%20U-23.pdf |access-date=3 October 2020 |website=cafonline.com |publisher=Confederation of African Football}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1993|01|22}}{{cite web |title=FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016: List of Players: Memelodi Sundowns |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FCWC/2016/pdf/FCWC_2016_SquadLists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=6 |date=14 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033347/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FCWC/2016/pdf/FCWC_2016_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=1 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}

| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa

| height = 1.70 m{{cite web |title=Keagan Dolly |url=https://www.mhscfoot.com/joueur/keagan-dolly |website=MHSC Foot |access-date=14 February 2020 |language=fr}}

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub = TS Galaxy

| clubnumber = 40

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Westbury Arsenal

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = SAFA School of Excellence

| youthyears3 = 2005–2011

| youthclubs3 = Mamelodi Sundowns

| youthyears4 = 2011–2012

| youthclubs4 = Ajax Cape Town

| years1 = 2012–2014

| clubs1 = Ajax Cape Town

| caps1 = 39

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2014–2017

| clubs2 = Mamelodi Sundowns

| caps2 = 34

| goals2 = 12

| years3 = 2014–2015

| clubs3 = → Ajax Cape Town (loan)

| caps3 = 16

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2017–2021

| clubs4 = Montpellier

| caps4 = 56

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2021–2024

| clubs5 = Kaizer Chiefs

| caps5 = 58

| goals5 = 12

| years6 = 2024–

| clubs6 = TS Galaxy

| caps6 = 0

| goals6 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2013–

| nationalteam1 = South Africa

| nationalcaps1 = 15

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 2015

| nationalteam2 = South Africa U23

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2016

| nationalteam3 = South Africa Olympic

| nationalcaps3 = 3

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update = 10:29, 5 August 2024 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 10:43, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

}}

Keagan Larenzo Dolly (born 22 January 1993) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for South African Premiership club TS Galaxy and the South Africa national team.

Club career

=Mamelodi Sundowns=

Born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, Dolly started playing football at Westbury Arsenal, then later he moved to School of Excellence where he was spotted by Mamelodi Sundowns. After impressing at their youth structures he went on to sign with Ajax Cape Town.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kickoff.com/players/2883/keagan-dolly |title=Keagan Dolly (Montpellier) - Mamelodi Sundowns - kickoff.com |access-date=23 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324000848/http://www.kickoff.com/players/2883/keagan-dolly |archive-date=24 March 2017 |url-status=dead }}

=Ajax Cape Town=

Dolly completed a move to Ajax Cape Town and this is perhaps where Dolly made a reputation for himself. During a spell at Ajax he won the Premier Soccer League Young Player award for the 2013–14 season. This triggered Sundowns to buy him back from Ajax Cape Town for their 2014–15 season, but because of many players occupying the same position as Keagan during that season, Sundowns opted to loan him back to Ajax for the player to get more playing time.

=Return to Mamelodi Sundowns=

Sundowns included Dolly to their squad for the 2015–16 campaign as they intended to bolster their team for the league and for the CAF champions league. Dolly with Sundows went on to win the league for the 2015–16 season, and they automatically qualified for the CAF champions league. Sundowns were eliminated by AS Vita Club in the third round of the Caf Champions league but with the turn of events AS Vita Club were eliminated in the competition due to the finding that they had used an ineligible player during the preliminary matches of the 2016 Orange CAF Champions League. Sundowns were reinstated to the competition and with the outstanding performances from Dolly and the whole team, Sundowns went on to win the competition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/caf-champions-league/caf-explains-mamelodi-sundowns-replacing-as-vita-in-champions-league/569189|title=CAF explains Mamelodi Sundowns replacing AS Vita in Champions League|website=KickOff|date=24 May 2016|access-date=23 September 2019|archive-date=23 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823133101/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/caf-champions-league/caf-explains-mamelodi-sundowns-replacing-as-vita-in-champions-league/569189|url-status=dead}} Dolly, Billiat and Onyango were nominated for best African Inter-Club Player of the Year (Based in Africa) of which was won by Keagan's teammate Dennis Onyango. Dolly was included in the 2016 CAF Team of the year. With outstanding performances from Dolly it eventually attracted interests from various clubs in Europe. In September 2016 it was announced that Olympiacos F.C. were interested in signing Dolly.

==Contract dispute with Mamelodi Sundowns==

In November 2016, it was reported that Sundowns had taken their star midfielder to the PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber (PSL DRC) to contest a buyout clause of around €750,000 that was written into his contract, that was signed 17 months prior which Sundowns stated it was too low. The argument was that a mistake was made by Sundowns, and that they wanted it to be rectified to an amount around £1.5 million. Sundowns eventually won the case and the buyout clause was updated to £1.5 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/mamelodi-sundowns-have-won-their-drc-case-against-keagan-dolly/242333|title=Mamelodi Sundowns Have Won Their DRC Case Against Keagan Dolly|website=www.soccerladuma.co.za|date=5 January 2017}}

=Montpellier=

On 26 January 2017, it was announced that Dolly had signed with Montpellier HSC. He left the club in summer 2021.

=Kaizer Chiefs=

Dolly returned to South Africa in July 2021, joining Kaizer Chiefs.{{Cite web|date=27 July 2021|title=Kaizer Chiefs confirm Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander signing|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/kaizer-chiefs-confirm-keagan-dolly-and-cole-alexander-signing/702912|access-date=27 July 2021|website=Kick Off|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922054446/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/kaizer-chiefs-confirm-keagan-dolly-and-cole-alexander-signing/702912|url-status=dead}} On 25 June 2024, public broadcaster SABC reported that Dolly, along with teammates Sifiso Hlanti and Siyethemba Sithebe, would be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the month.{{cite news |last1=Molefe |first1=Mazola |title=Sifiso Hlanti, Keagan Dolly and Siyethemba Sithebe leaving Chiefs |url=https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/sifiso-hlanti-keagan-dolly-and-siyethemba-sithebe-leaving-chiefs |access-date=26 June 2024 |work=SABC Sport |date=25 June 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Abrahams |first1=Celine |title=Booted Out! Kaizer Chiefs release Sifiso Hlanti, Keagan Dolly and Siyethemba Sithebe ahead of Nasreddine Nabi arrival |url=https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/booted-out-kaizer-chiefs-release-sifiso-hlanti-keagan-dolly-and-siyethemba-sithebe-ahead-of-nasreddine-nabi-arrival/blt6f462788824c23dd#cs94cea781c6d2b364 |access-date=26 June 2024 |work=Goal.com South Africa |date=26 June 2024}}

=TS Galaxy=

Dolly signed for TS Galaxy on a deal until the end of the season.{{cite news |last1=Goliath |first1=John |title=Former Kaizer Chiefs star Keagan Dolly looks to resurrect career at TS Galaxy |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/psl/former-kaizer-chiefs-star-keagan-dolly-looks-to-resurrect-career-at-ts-galaxy-f7730397-cd95-4b1c-b26b-aa8949211630 |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=IOL |date=18 November 2024}}

International career

Dolly played for the under 23's and represented his country during the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations tournament which was held in Senegal. The tournament acted as the CAF qualifiers for the Olympic football tournament, of which South Africa qualified as the third-place country. Dolly captained the South African side during the 2016 Summer Olympics men's football tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/players-abroad/keagan-dolly-s-move-to-france-has-been-confirmed/243344|title=Keagan Dolly's Move To France Has Been Confirmed|website=soccerladuma.co.za|date=26 January 2017|access-date=27 January 2017|archive-date=6 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106045012/http://soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/players-abroad/keagan-dolly-s-move-to-france-has-been-confirmed/243344|url-status=dead}}

Style of play

Dolly primarily plays as either a winger or occasionally as an attacking midfielder, he often plays as a left sided winger for both club and country. Due to his energetic pace and playmaking skills; this position allows him to shoot with his stronger foot. The diminutive left-footed player is capable of occupying any position behind the forward line. His extreme pace and close control allows him to roam into pockets of space around the pitch in the same way as Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata. Former South African playmaker Steven Pienaar had also tipped Dolly on becoming one of the best exports that South Africa has ever produced.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsclub.co.za/pienaar-backing-dolly-for-europe/|title=Pienaar backing Dolly's South Africa exit - SportsClub|date=19 September 2016}}

Personal life

Like Steven Pienaar, Dolly hails from Westbury, a largely coloured township in Johannesburg.{{cite web|author=Independent Newspapers Online |url=http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/pienaar-the-inspiration-behind-the-rise-of-dolly-1.1372037 |title=Pienaar: The inspiration behind the rise of Dolly - Cape Argus |publisher=IOL.co.za |date=29 August 2012 |access-date=28 September 2012}} He was educated at the prestigious Potchefstroom High School for Boys .

Career statistics

:Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dolly goal.{{NFT|56925|accessdate=1 December 2016}}

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Keagan Dolly
scope="col"\|No. !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Venue !scope="col"\|Opponent !scope="col"\|Score !scope="col"\|Result !scope="col"\|Competition
align="center"\|1	rowspan="2"\|4 June 2016	rowspan="2"\|Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia	rowspan="2"\|{{fb\|GAM}}	align="center"\|3–0	rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"\| 4–0	rowspan="2"\|2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
align="center"\|2	align="center"\|4–0

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Keagan Dolly

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|1

rowspan="2"|4 June 2016

rowspan="2"|Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia

rowspan="2"|{{fb|GAM}}

align="center"|3–0

rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| 4–0

rowspan="2"|2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

align="center"|2

align="center"|4–0

Honours

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa U23

Africa U-23 Cup of Nations third place: 2015{{cite web | url=https://africanfootball.com/tournament-matches/605/2015-U23-Africa-Cup-of-Nations | title=2015 U23 Africa Cup of Nations matches }}

Individual