| Thabo Matlaba | |
| Birth Date: | 1987 12, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Tembisa, South Africa |
| Height: | 1.69 m |
| Position: | Left-back |
| Currentclub: | Royal AM |
| Clubnumber: | 14 |
| Youthclubs1: | Leicester City (South Africa) |
| Youthclubs2: | Mighty Tigers |
| Youthclubs3: | M Tigers |
| Years1: | 2010–2011 |
| Clubs1: | Free State Stars |
| Caps1: | 33 |
| Goals1: | 3 |
| Years2: | 2012–2019 |
| Clubs2: | Orlando Pirates |
| Caps2: | 149 |
| Goals2: | 9 |
| Years3: | 2019–2020 |
| Caps3: | 24 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs4: | Swallows |
| Caps4: | 40 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2022– |
| Clubs5: | Royal AM |
| Caps5: | 61 |
| Goals5: | 4 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2011– |
| Nationalteam1: | South Africa |
| Nationalcaps1: | 29 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 15 June 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 12 November 2016 |
Thabo "Festival" Matlaba (born 13 December 1987) is a South African professional association footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier Soccer League club Royal AM. He is known for his long range shots with both his feet. Although he plays mostly as a left back, Matlaba is naturally right-footed.
Matlaba made his debut for South Africa on 14 May 2011 versus Tanzania in an international friendly.[1]
Matlaba scored his first international goal with a 40yd drive in a World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic on 23 March 2013.[2] [3]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Free State Stars | 2010–11 | Premier Soccer League | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 3 | |
| 2011–12 | Premier Soccer League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |||
| Orlando Pirates | 2011–12 | Premier Soccer League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier Soccer League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier Soccer League | 25 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 45 | 4 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier Soccer League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier Soccer League | 24 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier Soccer League | 24 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier Soccer League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Total | 139 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 190 | 13 | |||
| Career total | 172 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 223 | 16 | |||
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[4]