Thabang Matuludi
Squad number 2 · Polokwane City
Their 2026 World Cup
Thabang Matuludi travelled to the 2026 World Cup with South Africa, wearing number 2, without ever getting on the pitch. His side played 4 matches (1 win, 1 draw and 2 defeats) and bowed out in the round of 32, beaten by Canada 1-0.
Defence went to K. Mudau (4 matches, 367′) and I. Okon (4 matches, 367′).
Another 6 players in the South Africa squad ended up the same way, without a single minute. The full run is on the South Africa team page.
Biography
Tholo Thabang Matuludi (born 14 January 1999) is a South African soccer player who plays as a right back for Polokwane City in the Premier Soccer League and the South Africa national team.
Club career Playing for Polokwane City in the National First Division, the team won promotion to the 2023–24 South African Premier Division where Matuludi made his first-tier debut. By the 2024 winter transfer window, Matuludi had stood out as a key player for Polokwane City. Media reported interest in the player, allegedly from Stellenbosch FC and Cape Town City. No move happened, but in the summer window, Orlando Pirates was added to the discussion.
International career He was called up for South Africa for the 2024 COSAFA Cup, where he made his international debut against Mozambique. He played every minute of the competition until South Africa was knocked out. On 1 December 2025, Matuludi was called up to the South Africa squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. On 28 May 2026, he was selected by manager Hugo Broos to represent his nation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · text adapted from the article.
See all the tournament stats on the World Cup data hub.