{{short description|South African soccer player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}} {{Use South African English|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = George Matlou | image = | fullname = Lehlogonolo George Matlou | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|7|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Soweto, South Africa | height = 1.85 m<ref name=sw/> | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Kaizer Chiefs | clubnumber = 22 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Charlton Athletic<ref name=wits/> | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Orlando Pirates | youthyears3 = | youthclubs3 = Bidvest Wits | years1 = 2017–2019 | clubs1 = Bidvest Wits | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2017–2018 | clubs2 = → Cape Town All Stars (loan) | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2018–2019 | clubs3 = → Cape Umoya United (loan) | caps3 = 18 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2019–2021 | clubs4 = Sanjoanense | caps4 = 39 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2021–2022 | clubs5 = Moroka Swallows | caps5 = 17 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2022– | clubs6 = Kaizer Chiefs | caps6 = 33 | goals6 = 0 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = South Africa U20 | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = | nationalyears2 = 2022 | nationalteam2 = South Africa | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | club-update = 4 January 2026 | ntupdate = 5 April 2024 }}
'''Lehlogonolo George Matlou''' (born 12 July 1998) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League.
Born in Soweto,<ref name=nft>{{NFT player|88409}}</ref> Matlou was an U14 player at Orlando Pirates before joining the U15 team of Bidvest Wits in 2013.<ref name=wits>{{cite news|url=https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/premiership/kaizer-chiefs/kaizer-chiefs-george-matlou-i-wanted-to-run-there-see-for-myself-if-its-really-true-20221108|date=8 November 2022|title=From Pirates Juniors To Chiefs First Team: 'I Felt Like I Was Dreaming'|author=|publisher=Soccer Laduma|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> He overcame a career-threatening leg break which he suffered during the Metropolitan school tournament.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/psl/kaizer-chiefs-george-matlou-reveals-how-he-overcame-career-threatening-injury-2ae8a304-e145-40f7-9aca-8442d9b7fb66|title=Kaizer Chiefs’ George Matlou reveals how he overcame career-threatening injury|author=Msomi, Smiso|publisher=IOL|date=5 December 2022|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> Matlou came back to play for South Africa U20, among others in the 2017 COSAFA U-20 Cup.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://cosafa.com/south-africa-lesotho-to-clash-in-final/|title=South Africa, Lesotho to clash in final|publisher=COSAFA|date=14 December 2017|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> Following National First Division loan stints with Cape Town All Stars and Cape Umoya United, Bidvest Wits went defunct and Matlou went to Portugal to play for Sanjoanense in the third tier.<ref name=wits/><ref name=sw>{{soccerway|lehlogonolo-george-matlou/535065|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> In 2021 he claimed to have been called a "little monkey" by a referee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://briefly.co.za/99894-south-african-footballer-george-matlou-racially-abused-portugal.html|title=South African Footballer George Matlou Racially Abused in Portugal|date=10 May 2021|author=Ngcatshe, Phumzile|publisher=Briefly|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
Returning to South Africa and Moroka Swallows, he made his first-tier debut in the 2021-22 South African Premier Division.<ref name=sw/> He impressed enough, being called a "ball wizard" by ''The South African'', to be bought by Kaizer Chiefs in the summer of 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-breaking-news-psl-transfers-swallows-accept-amakhosi-bid-for-elegant-midfielder-george-matlou/|title=Swallows accept Kaizer Chiefs’ bid for elegant midfielder|date=20 June 2022|author=Gwegwe, Siseko|publisher=The South African|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> He was called up for South Africa to play a 2022 African Nations Championship qualification match against the Comoros.<ref name=nft/>
Matlou struggled to break through and establish himself as a regular in Kaizer Chiefs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://soccernews24.co.za/2023/09/15/george-matlou-patiently-waiting-for-his-time-at-kaizer-chiefs/|title=George Matlou patiently waiting for his time at Kaizer Chiefs|author=|date=15 September 2023|publisher=Soccer News 24|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://sundayworld.co.za/sports/ntseki-impressed-by-george-matlous-impact/|title=Ntseki impressed by George Matlou’s impact|date=17 September 2023|author=Monoalibe, Siyasanga|publisher=Sunday World|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/matlou-on-his-poor-start-at-chiefs/|title=Matlou On His Poor Start At Chiefs|date=28 September 2023|author=Madlala, Robin-Duke|publisher=iDiski Times|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref> In 2024 it was reported that Kaizer Chiefs would not renew Matlou's contract, due to expire in the summer.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/local-soccer/mgosi/matlou-facing-uncertain-future-at-kaizer-chiefs/|date=22 February 2024|title=Matlou facing uncertain future at Kaizer Chiefs|author=|publisher=The Citizen|access-date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Kaizer Chiefs F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matlou, George}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Soccer players from Soweto Category:South African men's soccer players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Bidvest Wits F.C. players Category:All Stars F.C. (South Africa) players Category:Cape Umoya United F.C. players Category:A.D. Sanjoanense players Category:Moroka Swallows F.C. players Category:Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players Category:National First Division players Category:Campeonato de Portugal (league) players Category:South African Premier Division players Category:South Africa men's youth international soccer players Category:South Africa men's international soccer players Category:South African expatriate men's soccer players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:21st-century South African sportsmen