Refilwe Tholakele
{{short description|Motswana footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Refilwe Tholakele
| image = RELIEWE TEBOGO THOLAKELE.jpg
| caption = Tholekele in July 2022
| fullname = Refilwe Tebogo Tholekele
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1996|01|26}}{{Cite web|url=https://fbref.com/en/players/075eef83/Refilwe-Tholekele|title=Refilwe Tholekele Stats|website=FBRef|accessdate=24 February 2022}}
| birth_place =
| height =
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
| clubnumber =
| years1 = 2014–2022
| clubs1 = Township Rollers
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2022
| clubs2 = Malabo Kings
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 2023–
| clubs3 = Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 =
| clubs4 =
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| nationalteam1 = Botswana
| nationalyears1 = 2016–
| nationalcaps1 = 19
| nationalgoals1 = 15
| pcupdate =
}}
Refilwe Tebogo Tholekele (born 26 January 1996), nicknamed Seven,{{cite news |title=Dazzling Tholakele makes firm statement |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/sports/dazzling-tholakele-makes-firm-statement/news |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Mmegi |date=29 July 2022}} is a Motswana footballer who plays as a forward for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C. and the Botswana women's national team.{{cite web | url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/botswana-touring-slovakia-ahead-of-banyana-clash/a3l1ar2jyx6x114lhks8ah75l | title=Botswana touring Slovakia ahead of Banyana clash | publisher=Goal | work=Samuel Ahmadu | date=6 August 2019 | accessdate=5 September 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.kick442.com/cosafa-womens-championship-botswana-name-provisional-squad/ | title=COSAFA Women’s Championship: Botswana name provisional squad | publisher=Kick442 | date=16 October 2020 | accessdate=5 September 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://news.thevoicebw.com/2020/11/female-zebras-in-historic-cosafa-final/ | title=Female Zebras In Historic COSAFA Final | publisher=TheVoicebw | work=Portia Mlilo | date=12 November 2020 | accessdate=5 September 2021}}
Early life
Tholakele started playing competitive football in 2007. At the age of 13, she was called up to a Botswana women's national under-17 team training camp where head coach Jacqueline Gaobinelwe nicknamed her "Seven" due to Tholakele's preference for the shirt number and being a Standard Seven student.
Club career
=Township Rollers=
In 2014, Tholakele signed with the women's team of Township Rollers F.C.
=Malabo Kings F.C.=
In August 2022, Tholakele signed with Equatoguinean team Malabo Kings F.C. on a one-year deal. She made a premature exit from the club, citing issues with late payments and poor accommodation.{{cite news |last1=Makhaiza |first1=Larona |title=‘Freedom’ looms for Seven, Odinga |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/sports/freedom-looms-for-seven-odinga/news |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Mmegi |date=24 February 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Khutsafalo |first1=Boitumelo |title=BFA awaits official report on Tholakele, Mochawe |url=https://www.mmegi.bw/sports/bfa-awaits-official-report-on-tholakele-mochawe/news |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Mmegi |date=7 October 2022}}
=Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies=
In May 2023, Tholakele signed with SAFA Women's League team Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C.{{cite web |last1=Mollo |first1=Tlotlisang |title=Jerry Tshabalala on Sundowns Ladies’ new signing |url=https://farpost.co.za/2023/05/19/jerry-tshabalala-on-sundowns-ladies-new-signing/ |website=FARPost |access-date=24 July 2023 |date=19 May 2023}} She scored on her debut in a 3–0 win over University of Johannesburg FC.{{cite web |last1=Mfundisi |first1=Mimi |title=Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies regain top spot |url=https://www.sapeople.com/2023/05/16/mamelodi-sundowns-ladies-regain-top-spot/ |website=SApeople.com |access-date=24 July 2023 |date=16 May 2023}} They won the 2023 CAF Women's Champions league with Tholakele making it into the team of the tournament.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=CAF Women’s Champions League, Cote d’Ivoire Best Xl confirmed |url=https://www.cafonline.com/caf-womens-champions-league/news/caf-women-s-champions-league-cote-d-ivoire-best-xl-confirmed/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=CAF |language=en-GB}}
International career
Tholakele is a former captain of the Botswana women's national under-20 football team.
International goals
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | rowspan=2| 19 April 2016 | rowspan=2| Curepipe, Mauritius | rowspan=2| {{fbw|MRI}} | align=center|2–0 | rowspan=2 align=center| 4–0 | rowspan=2| 2016 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | align=center|4–0 | |||||
| 3. | 17 September 2017 | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | {{fbw|RSA}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center| 1–1 | 2017 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 4. | 9 November 2020 | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | {{fbw|ZIM}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center| 1–0 | rowspan=2| 2020 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 5. | 12 November 2020 | iBhayi, South Africa | {{fbw|ZAM}} | align=center|2–0 | align=center| 2–1 | |
| 6. | rowspan=3| 29 September 2021 | rowspan=3| Port Elizabeth, South Africa | rowspan=3| {{fbw|SSD}} | align=center|1–0 | rowspan=3 align=center| 7–0 | rowspan=3| 2021 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 7. | align=center|4–0 | |||||
| 8. | align=center|6–0 | |||||
| 9. | rowspan=2| 20 October 2021 | rowspan=2| Luanda, Angola | rowspan=2| {{fbw|ANG}} | align=center|1–0 | rowspan=2 align=center| 5–1 | rowspan=3| 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10. | align=center|4–1 | |||||
| 11. | 18 February 2022 | Harare, Zimbabwe | {{fbw|ZIM}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center| 3–1 | |
| 12. | rowspan=2| 4 July 2022 | rowspan=2| Rabat, Morocco | rowspan=2| {{fbw|BDI}} | align=center|3–1 | rowspan=2 align=center| 4–2 | rowspan=2| 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations |
| 13. | align=center|4–1 | |||||
| 14. | rowspan=2| 2 July 2023 | rowspan=2| Brakpan, South Africa | rowspan=2| {{fbw|RSA}} | align=center|4–0 | rowspan=2 align=center| 5–0 | rowspan=2| Friendly |
| 15. | align=center|5–0 |
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerway|refilwe-thokalele/847303}}
{{Botswana squad 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations}}
{{CAF Women's Champions League Top Scorer}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tholakele, Refilwe}}
Category:Botswana women's footballers
Category:Women's association football forwards
Category:Botswana women's international footballers
Category:Botswana expatriate women's footballers
Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Equatorial Guinea
Category:Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies F.C. players
Category:SAFA Women's League players
Category:21st-century South African sportswomen
{{Botswana-women-footy-bio-stub}}