Thembinkosi Lorch

Thembinkosi Lorch

Personal information
Date of birth	(1993-07-22) 22 July 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Ficksburg, Free State, South Africa
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Mamelodi Sundowns
Number	3
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2015	Maluti FET College	100	(9)
2015–2024	Orlando Pirates	120	(18)
2015–2016	→ Cape Town All Stars (loan)	23	(5)
2016–2017	→ Chippa United (loan)	13	(3)
2024–	Mamelodi Sundowns	10	(2)
International career^‡
2016–2022	South Africa	9	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2024

Thembinkosi "Nyoso" Lorch (born 22 July 1993) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and the South African national team. He is named the "South African Player of the Season and Players' Player" of the Season in 2019. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation in the south African topflight division.[1][2]'[3]

Career

Thembinkosi Lorch nicknamed "Nyoso" started his career at Katlehong young Stars based at Qwa-Qwa before Joining Maluti FET College FC. And after a game against Jomo Cosmos, got a call from Screamer Tshabalala who told him that Pirates was interested in him. His first PSL game was against Free State Stars, playing for Chippa United on loan from Orlando Pirates in the 2016-2017. He has also been loaned out to NFD outfit Cape Town All Stars in the 2015-2016 season.

Thembinkosi Lorch is famous for being one of the most skilled South African footballers today. He is best known for his striking skills, which have gained him a lot of fans and popularity. He is a Left Winger who also plays Right Winger and Attacking Midfielder.

Personal life

DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small's 2019 song, titled Lorch, was inspired by and named after him, following a stellar season he enjoyed with Orlando Pirates[4]

In the early morning of 7 September 2020, Lorch was arrested for allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend, Nokuphiwa Mathithibala. This came after she had opened a case of assault against him at Midrand Police station indicating that Lorch had strangled her after she had asked about his whereabouts.[5] In January 2021, the assault case was provisionally withdrawn with the prosecutor instructing police to investigate further.[6]

Lorch briefly dated actress Natasha Thahane from June to September 2021, with whom he allegedly shares a son.[7]

Career statistics

As of matches played on 9 June 2022[8]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
South Africa	2016	2	0
	2017	0	0
	2018	1	0
	2019	5	1
	2022	1	0
Total		9	1

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lorch goal.

List of international goals scored by Thembinkosi Lorch[8]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 July 2019	Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt	Egypt	1–0	1–0	2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Orlando Pirates

• Carling Black Label Cup: 2019
• MTN 8: 2020, 2022, 2023
• Nedbank Cup: 2023
• CAF Confederation Cup: runners-up 2022

Mamelodi Sundowns

• DSTV Premiership:2023-24

Individual

• PSL Footballer of the Season, 2019
• PSL Players' Player of the Season, 2019

References

1. "Lorch the big winner at glittering psl awards". sport24.co.za. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
2. "Thembinkosi lorch wins big at psl awards". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
3. Gwate, Onalenna; Mantel, Sukhmani K; Gibson, Lesley A; Munch, Zahn; Gusha, Bukho; Palmer, Anthony R (4 March 2021). "The effects of Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) on soil chemistry and grass biomass production in a South African semi-arid rangeland: implications for rangeland rehabilitation". African Journal of Range & Forage Science. 38 (4): 270–280. doi:10.2989/10220119.2021.1875048. ISSN 1022-0119. S2CID 233814690.
4. "DJ Maphorisa thinks his verse on 'Lorch' is fire & social media agrees". TimesLIVE.
5. "Thembinkosi Lorch arrested for assaulting girlfriend". Sunday World. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
6. Pheto, Belinda (26 January 2021). "Domestic assault case against Orlando Pirates player Thembinkosi Lorch provisionally withdrawn". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
7. Mazibuko, Thobile (13 July 2021). "Natasha Thahane annoyed at men meddling in her relationship with Thembinkosi Lorch". IOL. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
8. "Thembinkosi Lorch". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 27 March 2024.

External links

• Thembinkosi Lorch at Soccerway. Retrieved 27 March 2024.