Themba Zwane, born on August 3, 1989, in Tembisa, Gauteng, South Africa, and widely known as Mshishi, is a South African professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa national team.
He is 37 years old, the captain of Mamelodi Sundowns, a nine-time South African Premier Division champion, and one of the most decorated players in South African club football history. He represented Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, South Africa’s first World Cup appearance since 2010, and helped the team reach the third-place playoff.
Themba Zwane Profile
| Name | Themba Zwane |
| Real Name | Themba Zwane |
| Date of Birth | August 3, 1989 |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupation | A South African professional footballer |
| Religion | N/A |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
| Copied from | content101.com |
Educational Background
Themba Zwane’s formal academic background is not available to the public. He came through the youth systems of M Tigers and Vardos FC in Tembisa before joining Mamelodi Sundowns, where his entire professional football education has been built through over a decade of competitive experience at the highest levels of African club football.
Career
Themba Zwane joined Mamelodi Sundowns as a young professional and has spent over a decade at the club, becoming its longest-serving player and its current captain. His career statistics at Sundowns are extraordinary by any measure.
In over 400 senior appearances, he has scored 79 goals and provided 29 assists across the South African Premier Division, the CAF Champions League, the African Football League, and domestic cup competitions. His trophy haul with Sundowns includes nine South African Premier Division titles, the 2016 CAF Champions League, the 2017 CAF Super Cup, the 2023 African Football League, three Nedbank Cups, and multiple other domestic honours, making him the most decorated active player in South African football.
At international level, he made his Bafana Bafana debut on May 26, 2014, against Australia in a friendly match. He accumulated 51 caps and 12 international goals as of 2025, making him one of the most capped midfielders in Bafana Bafana history. He was a key contributor to South Africa’s historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against Nigeria in June 2024. He was selected in South Africa’s 26-man World Cup squad and played at the tournament. South Africa reached the third-place playoff at the 2026 World Cup, defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 6-5 on penalties to claim the bronze medal, South Africa’s best-ever World Cup finish.
Controversies
Themba Zwane’s most significant and most talked-about controversy came at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in the opening group stage match against Mexico. Zwane was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after slapping Mexican winger Roberto Alvarado, forcing South Africa to play the remainder of the match with ten men.
On the positive side, South Africa recovered from the setback and went on to have a historic tournament run, eventually finishing third, and many supporters rallied around Zwane as the campaign progressed, pointing to his goal contributions in qualification and his overall service to the national team as evidence that the red card incident should not define his World Cup legacy.
On the negative side, the incident drew sharp criticism from football analysts and commentators who described it as an inexcusable act of indiscipline from a senior player and captain figure, particularly in such a high-stakes opening match. The incident briefly threatened to overshadow South Africa’s most successful World Cup campaign in history before the team’s performances redirected the narrative.
Themba Zwane Social Media Handle
https://www.instagram.com/mshishi18?stkn=MTA1cGs3bnhuNHU0Nw==
Personal Life
Themba Zwane was born on August 3, 1989, in Tembisa, Gauteng, South Africa, making him 37 years old. He grew up in Tembisa, one of Gauteng’s largest townships, and has described his upbringing there as the foundation of his hunger and resilience as a footballer. He is a right-footed player who stands at 1.70 metres and wears the number 18 jersey for Mamelodi Sundowns. Beyond his football identity, the details of his personal and family life are not available to the public.
Themba Zwane Net Worth
Themba Zwane’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million.