Thulani Serero

Ajax Cape Town

Born in Mapetla, Soweto, Serero is a product of the Ajax Cape Town's youth academy having been promoted to the first team in 2008, making his debut under then head coach Craig Rosslee. He made a total of 11 appearances in the regular 2008–09 PSL season, and managed to score four times, helping his side to a 7th-place finish by the end of the season. The following season saw Serero become the first choice playmaker at the Cape club, making a total of 25 appearances during the regular season, and scoring twice. Ajax CT would finish in 7th place again that season, with Serero gaining much attention from the local media for his performances on the pitch. During the 2010–11 season, under Foppe de Haan, Serero helped the Cape side to a second place regular season finish scoring 11 league goals, and helped his team to reach the finals of the Telkom Knockout tournament. At the end of the season he was awarded a number of accolades, including PSL Footballer of the Year, PSL Player of the Season, PSL Players' Player of the Season and the ABSA Premiership Red Hot Young Player award. On 22 May 2011, he was signed by AFC Ajax for €2.5 million.

AFC Ajax

Serero had had several trials with parent club AFC Ajax in the preceding years. On 22 May 2011 it was announced that he had signed a four-year contract with Ajax and he stated it was 'a dream come true'. He made his debut for Ajax on 7 August 2011 coming on as a substitute player in the match against De…

Serero has played for the South Africa U-20 team. He earned his first cap for South Africa on 9 February 2011. He came on as a second-half substitute in a friendly against Kenya. He scored his first Bafana Bafana goal against Swaziland in a non-friendly match ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was released from the national team squad due to disciplinary reasons the day before their 2014 World Cup qualification group match against Botswana on 7 September 2013. According to Gordon Igesund, Serero had allegedly stated to the team doctor that he did not want to play in the match in order to avoid risking an injury ahead of an upcoming UEFA Champions League game for his club. Serero disputed these claims, stating that he was genuinely injured and therefore wary about participating in the game. On 15 November 2014, Serero scored his first goal for the South African senior team in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Sudan, scoring in the 37th minute of the 2–1 win at home, thus helping his team secure a berth in the final tournament held in Equatorial Guinea the next year. Having contributed to his team's placement for the final tournament, Serero was cut from the 23-man selection to represent South Africa in the final tournament under head coach Ephraim Mashaba, having been called up for the 34-man provisional squad prior. He was recalled to the national team in November 2018.

As of match played 20 December 2018.

International goals

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.

Ajax Cape Town

MTN 8 runner-up: 2009 Telkom Knockout runner-up: 2010 Ajax

Eredivisie: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14 Johan Cruijff Shield: 2013 Al Jazira

UAE Pro League: 2020–21 Individual

PSL Footballer of the Year: 2011 PSL Player of the Season: 2011 PSL Players' Player of the Season: 2011 Absa Premiership Red Hot Young Player in Premier Soccer League: 2011 SAFA Young Player of the Year: 2009