Noko Matlou

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Noko Matlou

| fullname = Noko Alice Matlou{{cite web |title=Athlete Information |url=http://universiade2013.sportresult.com/eurosport/en/-120/Participant/ParticipantInfo/ad67ff36-1db1-43c6-9c88-6c63c4c5d779 |publisher=Universiade 2013 |access-date=9 January 2015}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1985|9|30}}

| birth_place = Moletjie, South Africa

| height = 1.72m

| position = Striker, defender

| currentclub = CP Cacereño Femenino

| clubnumber = 12

| youthclubs1 =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs2 =

| youthyears2 =

| years1 =

| clubs1 = Development Ladies

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 =

| clubs2 = Brazilian Ladies

| years3 = 2013-

| clubs3 = University of Johannesburg

| years4 = -2019

| clubs4 = Ma-Indies Ladies

| years5 = 2021–2024

| clubs5 = Eibar

| caps5 = 40

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2006–2025

| nationalteam1 = South Africa

| nationalcaps1 = 174

| nationalgoals1 = 66

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{fba|South Africa}}}}

| pcupdate = 15 May 2022

| ntupdate = 5 April 2025

| years6 = 2024-

| clubs6 = CP Cacereño Femenino

}}

Noko Alice Matlou (born 30 September 1985) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Spanish Primera Federación side CP Cacereño Femenino. She has played for the South Africa women's national team both as a striker and a defender.

In 2008, Matlou became the first South African to receive a CAF award when she was named African Women's Footballer of the Year.{{Cite web |title=Former CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year Matlou retires from international football |url=https://www.cafonline.com/womens-football/news/former-caf-women-s-footballer-of-the-year-matlou-retires-from-international-football/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Former CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year Matlou retires from international football |language=en-GB}}

Matlou has represented the South Africa women's national football team 174 times, including at the 2012, 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2019, and 2023 FIFA Women's World Cups. She is the second most capped African player.{{Cite web |last=Ntloko |first=Mninawa |date=2025-04-05 |title=Matlou takes final bow as her Banyana colleagues give her a fitting farewell - SAFA.net |url=https://safa.net/2025/04/05/matlou-takes-final-bow-as-her-banyana-colleagues-give-her-a-fitting-farewell/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |language=en-US}}

Club career

At a club level, she played for Ma-Indies Ladies. She has previously played for Development Ladies, Brazilian Ladies and the University of Johannesburg. Within footballing circles, she is nicknamed "Beep-Beep".{{cite web |title=Noko Alice "Beep-Beep" Matlou |url=http://www.sasolinsport.com/banyana/player-profiles/noko-alice-%E2%80%9Cbeep-beep%E2%80%9D-matlou |publisher=Sasol in Sport |access-date=19 November 2016 |archive-date=19 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919173333/http://www.sasolinsport.com/banyana/player-profiles/noko-alice-%E2%80%9Cbeep-beep%E2%80%9D-matlou |url-status=dead }}

In 2008, she became the first South African to be named African Women's Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football.{{cite news |date=11 February 2009 |title=Noko Matlou makes history |publisher=KickOff |url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/6727/noko-matlou-makes-history |access-date=9 January 2015 |archive-date=31 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731093714/http://www.kickoff.com/news/6727/noko-matlou-makes-history |url-status=dead }}

= CP Cacereño Femenino =

In August 2024, she signed a 1-year contract with Primera Federación side CP Cacereño Femenino.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-21 |title=Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou finds a new home in Spain {{!}} soccer |url=https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/banyana-banyana-defender-noko-matlou-finds-a-new-home-in-spain |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=SABC |language=en}}

International career

Matlou made her debut for South Africa women's national football team ("Banyana Banyana") in December 2006. In September 2009, Matlou was subjected to a gender "inspection" by a referee in the presence of the opposition captain, before South Africa's match against Ghana at Caledonian Stadium, Pretoria. She was allowed to play in the match after being confirmed as female.{{cite web |url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/PSL/Banyana-dispute-gender-cheating-claims-20080909 |access-date=9 January 2015 |date=9 September 2008 |publisher=Sport24 |title=Banyana dispute gender cheating claims}}

Matlou came to prominence within the national team by scoring six goals at the 2008 African Women's Championship.{{cite news |last1=Taele |first1=Keabetswe |title=Banyana do SA proud |publisher=Independent Online (South Africa) |date=8 December 2008}} She has been selected for the squads for a variety of tournaments, including at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. In 2014, South Africa's coach Vera Pauw deployed Matlou—previously a striker, as a defender.{{cite news |last1=Moholoa |first1=Ramatsiyi |title=Matlou adapts to Banyana role in defence |url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2014/07/10/matlou-adapts-to-banyana-role-in-defence |access-date=9 January 2015 |publisher=The Sowetan |date=10 July 2014}}

In March 2025 she announced her retirement from international football after the April international break.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=Noko Matlou confirms Banyana Banyana retirement {{!}} soccer |url=https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/noko-matlou-confirms-banyana-banyana-retirement |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=SABC |language=en}} Her last match would be against Malawi. Matlou captained Banyana Banyana on her 174th cap in a 3-0 win over Malawi at UJ Soweto campus on 5 April 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-05 |title=Banyana Banyana thrash Malawi as Noko Matlou bids farewell to international football {{!}} soccer |url=https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/banyana-banyana-thrash-malawi-as-noko-matlou-bids-farewell-to-international-football |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=SABC |language=en}} She is the second most capped African player behind Janine van Wyk (185 caps).{{Cite web |last=Contributor |first=gsport |date=2025-04-06 |title=Football Icon Noko Matlou Captains Banyana Banyana in Swan-Song Win over Malawi |url=https://gsport.co.za/football-icon-noko-matlou-captains-banyana-banyana-in-swan-song-win-over-malawi/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=gsport4girls |language=en-ZA}}

Honours

South Africa

Women's Africa Cup of Nations: 2022,{{Cite web |date=29 June 2023 |title=Magaia brace hands South Africa first TotalEnergies WAFCON trophy |url=https://www.cafonline.com/caf-womens-africa-cup-of-nations/news/magaia-brace-hands-south-africa-first-wafcon-trophy/ |access-date=6 August 2023 |website=CAF |language=}} ,runners-up: 2008, 2012, 2018; third place: 2010

Individual