Thabo Makhele

{{short description|South African soccer player}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}

{{Use South African English|date=May 2019}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Thabo Makhele

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|12|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hobhouse, South Africa

| height = 1.88 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Chippa United

| clubnumber = 4

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2013–2015

| clubs1 = Maluti FET College

| caps1 = 25

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2015–2016

| clubs2 = Witbank Spurs

| caps2 = 19

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2016–2018

| clubs3 = SuperSport United

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2017

| clubs4 = → Stellenbosch (loan)

| caps4 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2017–2018

| clubs5 = → Witbank Spurs (loan)

| caps5 = 21

| goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2018–2019

| clubs6 = TS Galaxy

| caps6 = 19

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2019–2020

| clubs7 = Jomo Cosmos

| caps7 = 19

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2020–2023

| clubs8 = All Stars

| caps8 = 55

| goals8 = 2

| years9 = 2023–

| clubs9 = Chippa United

| caps9 = 43

| goals9 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016

| nationalteam1 = South Africa U23

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2024–

| nationalteam2 = Lesotho

| nationalcaps2 = 11

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 16 March 2025

| ntupdate = 16 March 2025

}}

Thabo Makhele (born 17 December 1994) is a soccer player who plays as a defender for Chippa United in the South African Premiership. Born in South Africa, he represented that country as a youth player before choosing to play for Lesotho.

He was born in Hobhouse, South Africa.{{NFT player|95063}} In 2015, he was selected for South Africa U23 in preparation for 2016 Olympic Games.{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/premiership/south-africa-u-23-coach-da-gama-plotting-for-rio-2016-olympic-qualifiers-20150607|title=South Africa U-23 coach Da Gama plotting for Rio 2016 Olympic qualifiers|date=7 June 2015|publisher=Kick Off|access-date=17 March 2025}} In March 2016, still playing for South Africa U23, he sustained an injury against Brazil U23, described as "horrible". His left foot being stuck in the pitch, his lower leg was twisted so severely that he was driven by ambulance to a hospital.{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/sa-u23-defenders-fractures-ankle-20160328|title=SA U23 Defenders Fractures Ankle|date=28 March 2016|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=17 March 2025}} It turned out to be a fracture of the fibula.{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/thabo-makhele-suffered-a-horrendous-injury-for-south-africas-u23s-20160330|title=Thabo Makhele Suffered A Horrendous Injury For South Africa's U23s|date=30 March 2016|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=17 March 2025}}

In the summer of 2016, Makhele therefore missed the Olympics, but was looking to get his break in the highest South African league as he was signed by SuperSport United from the Witbank Spurs.{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/supersport-united-snap-up-u23-international-20160725|title=SuperSport United Snap Up U23 International|date=25 July 2016|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=17 March 2025}} However, he never saw playing time and was loaned out to Stellenbosch in January 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/thabo-makhele-has-joined-stellenbosch-on-loan-20170125|title=Thabo Makhele Has Joined Stellenbosch On Loan|last=Crann|first=Joe|date=25 January 2017|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=17 March 2025}} He was then loaned back to the Witbank Spurs in 2017–18. In 2018, he was possibly joining the Free State Stars,{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/siyagobhoza/free-state-stars-expected-to-announce-former-youth-international-signing-20180706|title=Free State Stars Expected To Announce Former Youth International Signing|date=6 July 2018|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=17 March 2025}} but instead continued on the second tier.

In January 2023, on the last day of the winter transfer window, he was signed by Premiership outfit Chippa United from All Stars.{{cite news|url=https://www.theherald.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-02-01-chippa-rope-in-three-new-players-to-strengthen-squad/|title=Chippa rope in three new players to strengthen squad|last=Nkanjeni|first=Vuyokazi|date=1 February 2023|publisher=The Herald|access-date=17 March 2025}} After ten years of playing in the National First Division, he finally made his first-tier debut.{{soccerway|thabo-makhele/325769}}