{{Infobox football biography | name = Donald Thobega | image = | fullname = Donald Thobega | birth_date = 21 October 1974 | birth_place = [[Ramotswa]], Botswana | death_date = {{death date and age|2009|3|28|1974|10|21|df=y}} | death_place = [[Lobatse]], [[Botswana]] | height = | position = Midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | years1 = 1998–2005 | clubs1 = [[Mogoditshane Fighters]] | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2005–2009 | clubs2 = [[Botswana Defence Force XI]] | caps2 = | goals2 = | nationalyears1 = 1999–2006 | nationalteam1 = [[Botswana national football team|Botswana]] | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | pcupdate = | ntupdate = }} '''Donald Thobega''' (21 October 1974 – 28 March 2009), often known by his nickname '''Boboza''', was a [[Botswana|Motswana]] [[association football|footballer]] who played as a midfielder. A sergeant in the [[Botswana Defence Force|Botswana military]], he last played for [[Botswana Defence Force XI]]. Between 1999 and 2006, he won a total of five [[cap (sport)|caps]] for the [[Botswana national football team]].
Thobega started his career in the Botswana lower leagues before transferring to [[Mogoditshane Fighters]] in 1998. He was a patron of the Test For Life campaign. On 28 March 2009, Thobega died three weeks after being involved in a car accident near [[Lobatse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=8&aid=19&dir=2009/March/Tuesday31|title=Thobega is no more|publisher=Mmegi|date=2009-03-31|accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref> He was buried in his home village of [[Ramotswa]] on 4 April 2009.<ref name="buried">{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200904061512.html|title=Boboza laid to rest tomorrow|publisher=Mmegi|date=2009-04-06|accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref>
==Personal life== Thobega was born on 21 October 1979. He enlisted in the [[Botswana Defence Force]] as a private in 2005 and by the time of his death had been promoted to the rank of sergeant.<ref name="buried"/> Outside of football, he was involved in the Test For Life campaign, which encourages football supporters in Botswana to be tested for HIV and AIDS.<ref name="buried"/>
==Playing career== ===Club=== Thobega's career began in the Botswana lower divisions, where he played for Mogonye Jungle Kings and Manyana Lucky Brothers.<ref name="buried"/> In 1998, he was signed for [[Botswana Premier League]] club [[Mogoditshane Fighters]] by manager [[David Bright (football manager)|David Bright]]. He formed a solid defensive partnership with international team-mate [[Mogogi Gabonamong]], and was captain of the Mogoditshane team that achieved three consecutive Premier League titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/botschamp.html|title=Botswana – List of Champions|website=RSSSF|accessdate=2009-12-22}}</ref> The team also won the league in 2003, as well as winning the [[FA Challenge Cup (Botswana)|Botswana Challenge Cup]] in 1999, 2000 and 2003.<ref name="cup">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/botscuphist.html|title=Botswana Cup Winners|website=RSSSF|accessdate=2009-12-22}}</ref>
In 2005, Thobega left Mogoditshane to join the [[Botswana Defence Force]]. He became a part of the military football team, the [[Botswana Defence Force XI]], and was appointed team captain.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web|url=http://www.gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2815:bdf-xi-skipper-thobega-dies-&catid=16:sports&Itemid=2|title=BDF XI Skipper Thobega Dies|publisher=The Botswana Gazette|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-12-21|author=Kgangkenna, Duncan|archive-date=2011-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711080358/http://www.gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2815:bdf-xi-skipper-thobega-dies-&catid=16:sports&Itemid=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team reached the final of the Challenge Cup in his first season, but lost 3–1 to [[Township Rollers]].<ref name="cup"/> The following season, they again reached the final but were defeated 2–1 by [[Notwane FC]].<ref name="cup"/>
===International=== Thobega earned his first call-up to the [[Botswana national football team]] in 1999. That year, he made his international debut as a substitute. It was another two years before he played again for his country, when he again appeared from the substitutes' bench. In 2002, he won three more caps for his country. He was last called up to the Botswana team on 9 September 2007, when manager [[Colwyn Rowe]] included Thobega in the 23-man squad to face [[South Africa national football team|South Africa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sundaystandard.info/search/search_item.php?NewsID=2010|title=Rowe's team attracts criticism|author=Bogosing, Tshepho|publisher=Sunday Standard|date=2007-09-09|accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref> He did not feature in that match, and was never selected for the national side again.
==Death== {{Quote box|width=300px|align=right|quote="Boboza used to take people the way they were and also fought for what is best for the players. He had qualities to lead and I enjoyed working with him"|source=[[Mogogi Gabonamong]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-thobega-be-laid-rest-tomorow-/2009/04/06/4108495.htm|title=Thobega to Be Laid to Rest Tomorrow|publisher=TMC|date=2009-04-06|accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref>}} In March 2009, Thobega was involved in a car accident while driving back to [[Lobatse]] from a music concert in Molapowabojang. Following the incident, he spent almost three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit of Princes Marina Hospital in Lobatse. He died of his injuries on 28 March 2009 and was buried in [[Ramotswa]] on 4 April 2009.<ref name="buried"/>
Botswana Defence Force XI manager Pudulogo Sokwane spoke highly of Thobega, stating that he was "shocked about his death"<ref name="gazette"/> and that it was "really painful to have been robbed of such a star."<ref name="gazette"/> Fellow Botswana international and Defence Force XI team-mate [[Nelson Gabolwelwe]] also praised Thobega, saying he had lost "a close friend in the team".<ref name="gazette"/>
==References== ;General *{{NFT player|pid=955}}
;Specific {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thobega, Donald}} [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Botswana men's footballers]] [[Category:Botswana men's international footballers]] [[Category:Botswana Defence Force XI F.C. players]] [[Category:Botswana military personnel]] [[Category:Mogoditshane Fighters players]] [[Category:Road incident deaths in Botswana]] [[Category:1979 births]] [[Category:2009 deaths]] [[Category:People from Ramotswa, Botswana]]