# Dino Ndlovu

Dino Ndlovu (born 15 February 1990) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for TFF First League club Sakaryaspor and the South Africa national football team.

## Early life and career

Ndlovu hails from Jouberton near Klerksdorp. During his formative years, Ndlovu began playing soccer on the streets and when he was sixteen, he was afforded the opportunity to join an Academy of Excellence. He had to turn down the opportunity, however as it would have left his mother alone at home. He later traveled to Johannesburg where he slept in a train station bathroom for three days in order to attend soccer trials with Platinum Stars. He was offered a contract by the club and initially impressed in front of goal at youth level. His form dipped soon after, however, as the new source of income began to serve as a distraction and Platinum Stars elected not to renew his contract in 2011. At the time he was the breadwinner for his family, which included his pregnant wife.

## Club career
### Bnei Yehuda

Following his release from Platinum Stars, Ndlovu was advised by his agent to leave South Africa. He trialled with Israeli side Bnei Yehuda who signed after just two days.

### Anorthosis Famagusta

Ndlovu joined Anorthosis Famagusta in the 2015 summer, passed to the crowds warm attention on a friendly Anorthosis preparation games. Accomplished 6 goals in preparation friendly games only friendlies.

### Qarabağ

On 12 August 2016 FK Qarabağ announced they had signed Ndlovu to a two-year contract. During the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League campaign, Ndlovu scored an away goal against FC Copenhagen which helped Qarabağ qualify for the group stages of the tournament for the first time in the club's history

### Boluspor

On 10 January 2023, Ndlovu joined TFF First League club Boluspor.

## International career

He was recalled to the national team in October 2018. On 13 October, he was one of South Africa's goalscorers as the nation recorded its largest ever victory with a 6–0 win over Seychelles in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 7 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 2009–10 | Premier Soccer League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 2010–11 | Premier Soccer League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bloemfontein Celtic (loan) | 2010–11 | Premier Soccer League | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 0 |
| Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv | 2011–12 | Israeli Premier League | 33 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 34 | 9 |
| Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv | 2012–13 | Israeli Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 6 | 2 |
| Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv | Total | Total | 33 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 11 |
| Maccabi Haifa | 2012–13 | Israeli Premier League | 21 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 15 |
| Maccabi Haifa | 2013–14 | Israeli Premier League | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | – | – | 15 | 2 |
| Maccabi Haifa | 2014–15 | Israeli Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Maccabi Haifa | Total | Total | 29 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 17 |
| SuperSport United (loan) | 2013–14 | Premier Soccer League | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 2 |
| SuperSport United (loan) | 2014–15 | Premier Soccer League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 1 |
| SuperSport United (loan) | Total | Total | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 |
| Mpumalanga Black Aces (loan) | 2014–15 | Premier Soccer League | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 2 |
| Anorthosis Famagusta | 2015–16 | Cypriot First Division | 32 | 17 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 35 | 18 |
| Qarabağ | 2016–17 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 23 | 10 | 4 | 4 | – | – | 7 | 1 | – | – | 34 | 15 |
| Qarabağ | 2017–18 | Azerbaijan Premier League | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 4 | – | – | 20 | 8 |
| Qarabağ | Total | Total | 36 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 21 |
| Zhejiang Greentown | 2018 | China League One | 24 | 19 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | 19 |
| Zhejiang Greentown | 2019 | China League One | 27 | 17 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | 17 |
| Zhejiang Greentown | 2020 | China League One | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 16 | 6 |
| Zhejiang Greentown | Total | Total | 65 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 67 | 41 |
| Kocaelispor | 2021–22 | TFF First League | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 15 | 9 |
| Changchun Yatai | 2022 | Chinese Super League | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 1 |
| Boluspor | 2022–23 | TFF First League | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 4 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 270 | 109 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 320 | 131 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in CSL Relegation play-offs

### International

South Africa :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 6 | 1 |
Statistics accurate as of match played 13 October 2018

### International goals

    Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 13 October 2018 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Seychelles | 5–0 | 6–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |