Meet Sphephelo Sithole: salary, stats, team, and career insights
Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole has evolved into one of the best footballers in South Africa. His talent, skills, and ball-controlling abilities have earned him praise from football enthusiasts and supporters. Sphephelo plays for Tondela in Liga Portugal.
Source: Getty Images
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Sphephelo has attracted the interest of some top European clubs. He is a talented young athlete who began his career at KwaZulu-Natal Football Academy. Fans nicknamed him 'Yaya' because of his playing style, similar to former Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré.
Sphephelo Sithole's profile
| Full name | Sphephelo S'Miso Sithole |
| Nickname | Yaya |
| Date of birth | 3 March 1999 |
| Place of birth | Ulundi, Durban, South Africa |
| Age | 25 (as of 2024) |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Height | 1.86m (6'1") |
| Weight | 79kg (170lbs) |
| Marital status | Single |
| Profession | Football player |
| Current team | Tondela FC, South African national team |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Jersey numbers | 15 and 13 |
| Market value | $297.6k (as of July 2024) |
| Social media | Instagram X (Twitter) |
How old is Sithelo?
Siphelele Sithole (age 25 as of July 2024) was born on 3 March 1999 in Ulundi, Durban, South Africa. The talented midfielder moved to Portugal at a young age to further his skills and realise his football dreams.
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Sphephelo Sithole's stats and career
Bafana Bafana star Sphephelo Sithole has enjoyed an illustrious career, establishing himself among the best. SNL24 revealed that he started honing his craft at KwaZulu-Natal Football Academy before moving to Portugal.
The versatile midfielder joined the Sporting CP U19 team in Portugal in 2017. He later moved to Vitoria Setubal before switching to Belenenses SAD in 2019. Sithole also represented the South African under-17 national team between 2015 and 2016.
Source: Getty Images
Yaya Sithole made his professional debut for Belenenses on 15 July 2020 against Sporting Braga. He came off the bench in the game that ended 1-1. The midfielder left Belenenses in 2023 following their relegation to join Liga 2 club CD Tondela.
Sphephelo made his Bafana Bafana debut on 9 June 2022 in a 2-1 defeat to Morocco in an African Cup of Nations qualifiers. He was part of the squad that finished third in the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast. Here is a breakdown of his professional stats, per Transfermarkt, as of July 2024.
| Team | Games | Goals | Assists |
| South Africa | 18 | - | 4 |
| CD Tondela | 27 | 2 | 2 |
| Belenenses SAD | 78 | - | 2 |
| Total | 123 | 2 | 8 |
Sphephelo Sithole's salary and net worth
Sphephelo is one of the best paid Bafana Bafana players. He earned around $213,228 gross during his playing career, as reported by Capology. His salaries at Belenenses and CD Tondela and net worth remain unknown, but his market value is around $297.6k as of July 2024.
A report by City Press revealed that Sithole's Bafana Bafana received around R46.9 million ($2.6 million) in prize money for reaching the semi-finals of the 2023 AFCON competition. Each player, including Sphephelo, pocketed around R1 million ($55,400). The report said,
Bafana players to share half the R47 million #AFCON loot. This means each member of the team is guaranteed to walk away with at least R1 million.
Source: Getty Images
Sithole's transfer rumours
Following his improved performance, the midfielder has attracted the attention of numerous European clubs. In an interview published by the South African, his agent, Manuel Tomas, confirmed interest from Serie A clubs.
There is an offer from a Serie A side for Sphephelo Sithole. Tondela is seeking €3 million (around $3.2 million) for his services. Despite the offer, we are confident that Sithole will part ways with Tondela at the conclusion of the season.
Sphephelo also confirmed interest from Kaizer Chiefs, one of the richest South African clubs.
There was interest from Chiefs before the start of the last season. We had discussions, but unfortunately, the talks fizzled out. I’m not sure what happened exactly. They never submitted a formal offer.
Social media
The athlete is active on social media, with 19.3k followers on Instagram as of July 2024. He is also available on (X) Twitter, with over 9.7k followers.
Source: Getty Images
Frequently asked questions
Like many other professional footballers, Sphephelo dreams of playing in the Premier League. He is a well-established midfielder with versatile skills. Here are some frequently asked questions about the footballer.
- What teams has Sphephelo Sithole played for? He began his career at KwaZulu-Natal Football Academy before joining Sporting CP U19 and Belenenses SAD. He moved to CD Tondela and has played for the South African national team.
- What are Sphephelo Sithole's current teams? The footballer plays for CD Tondela and Bafana Bafana.
- What position does Sphephelo Sithole play? He has played in different midfield positions, including an advanced playmaker, a ball-winning midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker and a holding midfielder. His preferred foot is Right.
- Are Sithole and Mthembu related? The two are reportedly not related. Siphelele Mthembu is a South African striker born and raised in eMthonjaneni, South Africa.
- Did Sphephelo Sithole suffer any recent injuries? The midfielder suffered an injury in March 2024 and missed crucial games for Bafana Bafana. In May 2023, he underwent surgery on his left foot, which took nearly two months to recover.
Sphephelo Sithole is a role model to many and has earned a lot of wealth from his career. His ability to play in different midfield positions and control the game makes him unique and crucial to his teams.
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