Thubelihle Shamase (born 16 January 2002) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for SAFA Women's League side UJ Ladies and the South Africa women's national team.
Club career
UJ Ladies Shamase played for SAFA Women's League side the University of Johannesburg. In 2022, she won the Gauteng ENGEN Knockout Challenge whilst playing for the U/20 team. She won the player of the tournament, top goal scorer and striker of the tournament awards for her efforts.
In 2023, she was nominated for the CAF Young Player of the Year (Women) award.
FC Gintra In March 2024, she joined A Lyga side FC Gintra. She made her debut on 24 March 2024.
She scored her first goal for the club on 21 April 2024 in a 4–0 win against FC Hegelmann. She scored her second goal on 27 April 2024 in a 5–0 win over FK Banga. She won the A Lyga with the team in 2024.
UJ Ladies In May 2025, she rejoined SAFA Women's League side UJ Ladies.
International career In 2017, she was selected in the Bantwana squad for the FIFA U/17 Women's World Cup Qualifiers. Shamase competed for Bantwana at the 2018 FIFA U/17 Women's World Cup.
She was part of the South African women's national team at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations where they won their first continental title in 2022.
In 2023, she competed for the South African women's national team at the 2023 Cosafa Women's Championship where she won the silver boot scoring 5 goals. Later in the year, she was added to the national team for the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of nations qualifier and was nominated for the CAF Young Player of the Year (Women).
Personal life She has an identical twin sister, Sphumelele Shamase, who is also a soccer player.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalTotal DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsFC Gintra2024A Lyga1780072212611Career total 178 00 72 21 2611
International goals No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 4 October 2023 Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa 1–1 3–4 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship 2. 7 October 2023 Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 1–0 3–1 3. 10 October 2023 1–0 3–0 4. 2–0 5. 3–0
Honours Women's Africa Cup of Nations: 2022 A Lyga: 2024 ENGEN Knockout Challenge: 2022, 2023
Individual
ENGEN Knockout Challenge: Top scorer: 2022 ENGEN Knockout Challenge: Player of the Tournament: 2022 ENGEN Knockout Challenge: Striker of the Tournament: 2022
References