# Thubelihle Shamase

Thubelihle Shamase (born 16 January 2002) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for A Lyga side FC Gintra and the South Africa women's national team.

## Club career
### UJ Ladies F.C.

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.

## 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

    As of match played 8 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FC Gintra | 2024 | A Lyga | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 11 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 11 |

## International goals

| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 4 October 2023 | Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa | Malawi | 1–1 | 3–4 | 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 2. | 7 October 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Madagascar | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 3. | 10 October 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Eswatini | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 4. | 10 October 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Eswatini | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship |
| 5. | 10 October 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Eswatini | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2023 COSAFA Women's Championship |

## 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