{{short description|South African soccer player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Use South African English|date=July 2012}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Thuso Phala | image = | fullname = | height = {{height|m=1.70}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|05|27}} | birth_place = Soweto, South Africa | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = Right winger | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Wits University | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Silver Stars | years1 = 2006–2007 | clubs1 = Silver Stars | caps1 = 17 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2007–2009 | clubs2 = Kaizer Chiefs | caps2 = 32 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2009–2010 | clubs3 = Mamelodi Sundowns | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2010–2013 | clubs4 = Platinum Stars | caps4 = 81 | goals4 = 12 | years5 = 2013–2019 | clubs5 = SuperSport United | caps5 = 141 | goals5 = 20 | years6 = 2019–2020 | clubs6 = Black Leopards | caps6 = 12 | goals6 = 0 | nationalteam1 = South Africa | nationalyears1 = 2012–2016 | nationalcaps1 = 22 | nationalgoals1 = 2 }}
'''Thuso Phala''' (born 27 May 1986) is a retired South African football midfielder. He is the inventor of Thuso Phala dance moves that became popular to South African soccer fans and dancers at large, the moves he made after scoring a goal.
Phala was featured in a BBC documentary in 2004 entitled 'Football and Freedom' which followed the paths of two 13-year-old South Africans aiming to become professional footballers.
==International career== Since making his debut for the South Africa national football team in 2010, Phala has appeared at both the 2013 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored Bafana Bafana's opening goal of the 2015 tournament in a 3–1 loss to Algeria.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30773500|title=Algeria 3–1 South Africa|accessdate=24 January 2015|publisher=BBC}}</ref>
===International goals===
{| class="wikitable" ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- | 1 || 4 January 2015 || Orlando Stadium, South Africa || {{fb|Zambia}} || '''1'''–0 || 1–0 || International Friendly |- | 2 || 19 January 2015 || Estadio de Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea || {{fb|Algeria}} || '''1'''–0 || 1–3 || 2015 African Cup of Nations |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{NFT player|49375}} *{{Soccerway|thuso-phala/62359}}
{{South Africa Squad 2013 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{South Africa squad 2015 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phala, Thuso}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:South African men's soccer players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players Category:Platinum Stars F.C. players Category:Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. players Category:SuperSport United F.C. players Category:Black Leopards F.C. players Category:Soccer players from Soweto Category:South Africa men's international soccer players Category:2013 Africa Cup of Nations players Category:2015 Africa Cup of Nations players Category:21st-century South African sportsmen