Percy Tau facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 May 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Witbank, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.70 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward, Winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Qatar SC | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mamelodi Sundowns | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2013–2018 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 65 | (18) |
| 2015–2016 | → Witbank Spurs (loan) | 11 | (3) |
| 2018–2021 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Union SG (loan) | 23 | (6) |
| 2019–2020 | → Club Brugge (loan) | 18 | (3) |
| 2020–2021 | → Anderlecht (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2021–2025 | Al Ahly | 59 | (17) |
| 2025– | Qatar SC | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2015– | South Africa | 50 | (16) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Percy Muzi Tau (born on 13 May 1994) is a professional footballer from South Africa. He plays as a forward for Qatar Stars League club Qatar SC. He also plays for the South Africa national team. Many people think he is one of the best wingers in Africa. A winger is a player who plays on the side of the field, helping to attack and score goals.
Percy started his football journey at Mamelodi Sundowns. He played over 100 games for them, even having a short loan spell at Witbank Spurs. While at Sundowns, he won the league title twice. He also helped them win the CAF Champions League, which is a big competition for African clubs. In his last season there, he was named the best player (Footballer of the Year) and was one of the top goal scorers.
In 2018, Percy joined Brighton & Hove Albion in England. But he couldn't get a work permit right away. So, he was loaned to a Belgian team called Union SG. He played so well there that he won the Player of the Season award in their league. After that, he moved to Club Brugge on loan and won another league title. Then, he was loaned to Anderlecht in 2020.
In 2021, Percy signed a two-year contract with Egyptian Premier League team Al Ahly. In December 2023, he made history by scoring his third goal in the FIFA Club World Cup. This made him the highest-scoring South African player in that competition.
Contents
Percy's Football Journey
Starting at Mamelodi Sundowns
Percy Tau was born in Witbank, South Africa. He began his career with Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League. He played his first professional game on 25 February 2014 against Orlando Pirates. He came on as a substitute late in the game.
Percy scored his first goal for the club on 22 March 2014 in a Nedbank Cup match. Sundowns won that game 4–1. He then scored his first goal in an international club competition on 5 April 2015. This was in a CAF Champions League match.
After two seasons, Percy didn't play much for Mamelodi Sundowns. So, in the 2014–15 season, he was loaned out.
Loan to Witbank Spurs
Percy was loaned to National First Division team Witbank Spurs. He made his debut for them on 6 February 2016. He scored 3 goals in 11 games during his loan spell.
Returning to Mamelodi Sundowns
After his loan, Percy came back to Mamelodi Sundowns. He joined their CAF Champions League team. He played in every minute of both final games against Zamalek from Egypt. Sundowns won 3–1 overall, which was their first big win in an African competition!
He scored his first league goal for Sundowns on 2 November 2016. This was against Polokwane City. Sundowns won 2–0. Percy also played in the FIFA Club World Cup on 11 December 2016. Sundowns lost to the Japanese team, Kashima Antlers. In another match, Percy scored the only goal for Sundowns against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
During the 2017–18 season, Percy scored 11 goals. This helped Mamelodi Sundowns win the league title. Because of his great performance, he shared the top goal scorer award. He also won the Footballer of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards. Many European clubs became interested in him. He even missed some pre-season training to try and make a move happen.
Joining Brighton & Hove Albion
On 20 July 2018, Percy signed a four-year contract with Brighton & Hove Albion. This is an English Premier League club. The transfer fee was about R50 million (UK£2.7 million), which was a record for a South African player. Brighton's manager, Chris Hughton, said Percy would be loaned out. This was because he needed a work permit for the UK. Brighton also wanted him to get more experience playing in Europe.
On 7 January 2021, Percy returned to Brighton. He was called back from his loan spell at Anderlecht.
Loan to Union SG
On 15 August 2018, Percy joined Union SG in Belgium. This team is owned by Brighton's chairman. He quickly became an important player. He scored four goals in six games in the Belgian Cup. He helped the club reach the semi-finals. They even had big wins against Anderlecht and Genk.
In April 2019, Percy scored six goals and made seven assists. This helped Union finish second in the league. He was nominated for the Player of the Season award and won it! He was also named in the league's best team.
Loan to Club Brugge
On 29 July 2019, Percy went on loan to another Belgian team, Club Brugge. He made his debut on 2 August 2019 and scored in a 6–0 win. On 13 August, he played in his second ever UEFA Champions League game. He was sent off with a red card, but Brugge still won the match. He also helped set up a goal against Real Madrid in a Champions League game.
The league season ended early in May because of the Covid–19 pandemic. Percy played 18 league games and scored three goals. Club Brugge won the league title by a large margin.
Loan to Anderlecht
On 4 August 2020, Percy went on a one-year loan to Anderlecht. He played his first game for them on 16 August 2020. He came on as a substitute and scored his first goal in a 3–1 win.
Back to Brighton
On 7 January 2021, Brighton called Percy back. This was after only four months at Anderlecht. He could now get a work permit for the UK. On 10 January 2021, Percy finally made his debut for Brighton. This was 905 days after he first signed for them! It was an FA Cup game against Newport County. Brighton won on penalties. Three days later, he played his first Premier League game against Manchester City. On 15 May, in his third Premier League game, he passed the ball to Danny Welbeck. This led to a goal against West Ham.
Moving to Al Ahly
Percy signed a permanent deal with Egyptian Premier League club Al Ahly on 26 August 2021. He played in the 2021 CAF Super Cup on 22 December. He helped Al Ahly score a goal in that game, which they won in a penalty shootout.
Percy played 126 games for Al Ahly, scoring 30 goals and making 14 assists. He had a lot of success there. He won two CAF Champions League titles and two Egyptian Premier League championships. He also won four Egyptian Super Cups. In 2023, he was named the CAF Interclub Player of the Year. He was the first South African to win this award!
Joining Qatar SC
In January 2025, after three and a half seasons with Al Ahly, Percy signed for Qatar Stars League club Qatar SC. Qatar SC paid Al Ahly about $450,000 for him.
Percy's International Career
Percy made his debut for the South Africa team on 17 October 2015. This was in a game against Angola. On 25 March 2017, he scored his first goal for his country against Guinea-Bissau.
On 13 October 2018, Percy scored in South Africa's biggest ever win. They beat Seychelles 6–0 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. On 24 March 2019, he scored two goals against Libya. This helped South Africa qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. His four goals in the qualifiers made him one of the top scorers.
Percy was part of the South African team for the 2019 African Cup of Nations. He played in all five games. His team reached the quarter-finals but lost to Nigeria.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 2013–14 | South African Premier Division | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 9 | ||
| 2017–18 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 50 | 14 | ||
| Total | 65 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 103 | 25 | ||
| Witbank Spurs (loan) | 2015–16 | National First Division | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018–19 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Union SG (loan) | 2018–19 | Belgian First Division B | 23 | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 35 | 13 | ||
| Club Brugge (loan) | 2019–20 | Belgian Pro League | 18 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| Anderlecht (loan) | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 4 | |||
| Al Ahly | 2021–22 | Egyptian Premier League | 20 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 8 | |
| 2022–23 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 42 | 10 | |||
| 2023–24 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 33 | 9 | |||
| 2024–25 | 6 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 3 | |||
| Total | 59 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 12 | 21 | 2 | 125 | 30 | ||
| Career total | 191 | 49 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 69 | 15 | 35 | 6 | 324 | 79 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 9 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 50 | 16 | |
- Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 March 2017 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  Guinea-Bissau |
2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 10 June 2017 | Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria |  Nigeria |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 7 October 2017 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Burkina Faso |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 14 November 2017 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Senegal |
1–1 | 1–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 24 March 2018 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia |  Zambia |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 Four Nations Tournament |
| 6 | 14 October 2018 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Seychelles |
4–0 | 6–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7 | 20 November 2018 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  Paraguay |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 24 March 2019 | Stade Taïeb Mhiri, Sfax, Tunisia |  Libya |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 9 | 2–1 | |||||
| 10 | 13 November 2020 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  São Tomé and Príncipe |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | 16 November 2020 | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa | São Tomé and Príncipe |
2–1 | 4–2 | |
| 12 | 4–2 | |||||
| 13 | 25 March 2021 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Ghana |
1–1 | 1–1 | |
| 14 | 17 March 2023 | FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Morocco |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 15 | 18 November 2023 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  Benin |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 21 January 2024 | Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo, Ivory Coast |  Namibia |
1–0 | 4–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
Awards and Achievements
Mamelodi Sundowns
- Premier Soccer League: 2013–14, 2017–18
- Nedbank Cup: 2014–15
- Telkom Knockout: 2015
- CAF Champions League: 2016
- CAF Super Cup: 2017
Club Brugge
- Belgian Pro League: 2019–20
Al Ahly
- Egyptian Premier League: 2022–23, 2023–24
- Egypt Cup: 2021–22, 2022–23
- Egyptian Super Cup: 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024
- CAF Champions League: 2022–23, 2023–24
- CAF Super Cup: 2021
- FIFA African–Asian–Pacific Cup: 2024
- FIFA Club World Cup third place: 2021, 2023
South Africa
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2023
- 2018 Four Nations Tournament
Individual
- Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot: 2017–18
- PSL Footballer of the Year: 2017–18
- PSL Players' Player of the Season: 2017–18
- Belgian First Division B Player of the Season: 2018–19
- Belgian First Division B Team of the Season: 2018–19
- African Inter-Club Player of the Year: 2023
See also
In Spanish: Percy Tau para niños
