{{Short description|South Sudanese footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Machop Chol | image = Machop Chol-2023-06-10.jpg | caption = Chol in 2023 | fullname = Machop Malual Chol | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|14|df=y}} | birth_place = Khartoum, Sudan | height = {{convert|1.88|m|order=flip}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Machop Chol |url=https://www.atlutd.com/players/machop-chol/ |access-date=21 August 2022 |publisher=Atlanta United FC |archive-date=5 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205231500/https://www.atlutd.com/players/machop-chol/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | position = Forward | currentclub = Ansan Greeners | clubnumber = 9 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = DDYSC Wolves | youthyears2 = 2016–2017 | youthclubs2 = Atlanta United | collegeyears1 = 2017–2020 | college1 = Wake Forest Demon Deacons | collegecaps1 = 65 | collegegoals1 = 13 | years1 = 2021–2023 | clubs1 = Atlanta United | caps1 = 34 | goals1 = 2 | years2 = 2021–2023 | clubs2 = Atlanta United 2 | caps2 = 8 | goals2 = 2 | years3 = 2024 | clubs3 = San Antonio FC | caps3 = 22 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2025–2026 | clubs4 = FK Žalgiris | caps4 = 22 | goals4 = 3 | years5 = 2026– | clubs5 = Ansan Greeners | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 2 | nationalyears1 = 2022– | nationalteam1 = South Sudan | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 08:12, 19 May 2026 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 10:55, 11 March 2026 (UTC) }} '''Machop Malual Chol''' (born 14 November 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ansan Greeners in the K League 2. Born in Sudan and raised in the United States, he plays for the South Sudan national team.
==Club career== Born in Khartoum on 14 November 1998, Chol immigrated with his family to the United States in 2000.<ref name="dss">{{cite news |title=Atlanta United signs Machop Chol to homegrown player deal |url=https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2021/1/19/22239362/atlanta-united-signs-machop-chol-to-homegrown-player-deal |access-date=April 17, 2021 |work=Dirty South Soccer |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref> His family settled in Clarkston, Georgia, where he first learned to play soccer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Machop Chol isn't finished yet |url=https://www.atlutd.com/news/machop-chol-isnt-finished-yet |website=ATLUTD.com |publisher=ATLUTD |access-date=24 July 2021}}</ref> He began his career playing with youth club DDYSC Wolves before earning a spot in the Atlanta United academy in 2016.<ref name="dss"/>
In August 2017, Chol began playing college soccer for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.<ref name="dss"/> He made his debut for the Demon Deacons on 25 August against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights where he scored his first goal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cantwell |first=Colin |date=2018-10-22 |title=No. 6 men's soccer falls 3-2 to No. 1 Wake Forest |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA559278487&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs |journal=UWIRE Text |language=English |pages=1–1}}</ref> Throughout his time at Wake Forest, Chol scored 13 goals in 65 matches.<ref name="wf">{{cite web |title=Manchop Chol Wake Forest |url=https://godeacs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/machop-chol/5126 |website=Wake Forest Demon Deacons}}</ref>
===Atlanta United=== On 19 January 2021, Chol signed a homegrown player contract with Major League Soccer club Atlanta United.<ref name="dss"/> He made his professional debut on 17 April against Orlando City, coming on as a substitute.<ref>{{cite web |title=Orlando City vs Atlanta United |url=https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/04/17/united-states/mls/orlando-city-fc/atlanta-united/3471808/ |website=Soccerway}}</ref> His first MLS goal for Atlanta United was scored on 16 April 2023 at Toronto FC.<ref>{{cite web |title=Machop Chol Soccer Stats and News|url=https://www.rotowire.com/soccer/player/machop-chol-34516|website=Rotowire}}</ref>
===San Antonio FC=== Following his release from Atlanta at the end of the 2023 season, Chol signed with USL Championship side San Antonio FC on 2 April 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sanantoniofc.com/news/2024/04/02/san-antonio-fc-signs-forward-machop-chol/|title=SAN ANTONIO FC SIGNS FORWARD MACHOP CHOL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1305897-south-sudan-international-machop-chol-joins-san-antonio-fc|title=South Sudan international Machop Chol joins San Antonio FC|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=2 April 2024|website=USL Championship}}</ref>
=== FK Žalgiris === On 6 March 2025 Žalgiris Club announced about new player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fkzalgiris.lt/is-jav-atvyko-pietu-sudano-rinktines-puolejas/|title=Atvyko JAV žaidęs Pietų Sudano rinktinės puolėjas|date=6 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportas.lt/naujiena/516562/zalgiri-papilde-jav-stipriausioje-lygioje-zaides-sudano-rinktines-puolejas|title=„Žalgirį“ papildė JAV stipriausioje lygioje žaidęs Sudano rinktinės puolėjas|website=sportas.lt}}</ref>
On 29 January 2026 announced that Chol left Žalgiris.<ref>[https://fkzalgiris.lt/kluba-palieka-m-chol/ Klubą palieka M. Chol]</ref.<ref.[https://www.sportas.lt/naujiena/534456/zalgiri-paliko-machopas-cholas „Žalgirį“ paliko Machopas Cholas]</ref>
=== Ansan Greeners === On 2 February 2026, Chol moved to K League 2 side Ansan Greeners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.football-asian.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=6167|title=Ansan Greeners turn to globetrotting striker Machop as promotion push takes shape < Asia < Transfer News < 기사본문 - Football Asian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kleagueunited.com/2026/02/2026-season-preview-ansan-greeners.html|title=2026 Season Preview: Ansan Greeners|first=Mike|last=Brandon}}</ref>
==International career== Chol made his international debut for South Sudan on 27 January 2022 in a friendly defeat to Uzbekistan.<ref name="South Sudan 0 Uzbekistan 3">{{cite web |title=South Sudan 0 Uzbekistan 3 |url=https://www.footballcritic.com/fifa-friendlies-uzbekistan-south-sudan/match-report/2627373 |publisher=footballcritic.com |access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref><ref name="NFT profile">{{cite web |title=NFT profile |url= https://www.national-football-teams.com/de/player/85582/Machop_Malual_Chol.html |publisher=National Football Teams |access-date=30 January 2022}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|match played 9 November 2021}}<ref name="soccerway">{{soccerway|machop-chol/496485}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=1|Atlanta United |2021 |Major League Soccer||9||1||0||0||0||0||10||0 |- !colspan=3|Career total !9||1||0||0||0||0||10||0 |}
===International=== {{updated|match played 27 January 2022}}<ref name="NFT profile"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan=1|South Sudan |2022||1||0 |- !colspan=2|Total||1||0 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.atlutd.com/players/145/machop-chol Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506070539/https://www.atlutd.com/players/145/machop-chol |date=6 May 2021 }} at Atlanta United * [https://www.national-football-teams.com/de/player/85582/Machop_Malual_Chol.html National Football Teams profile]
{{Ansan Greeners FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chol, Machop}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Khartoum Category:Sudanese emigrants to the United States Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Soccer players from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American men's soccer players Category:Sportspeople from Tucker, Georgia Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer players Category:Atlanta United FC players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:Homegrown Players (MLS) Category:African-American soccer players Category:American people of South Sudanese descent Category:Sportspeople of South Sudanese descent Category:Naturalized citizens of South Sudan <!-- Category:Citizens of South Sudan through descent --> Category:South Sudanese men's footballers Category:South Sudan men's international footballers Category:MLS Next Pro players Category:San Antonio FC players Category:FK Žalgiris players Category:Ansan Greeners FC players Category:21st-century American sportsmen