Reneilwe Letsholonyane facts for kids

Reneilwe "Yeye" Letsholonyane (born 9 June 1982) is a South African retired professional soccer player. He played as a midfielder and was known by his nickname "Yeye". He also represented the South Africa national team in many international games.

Early Life and Soccer Dreams

Reneilwe Letsholonyane grew up in White City, Jabavu, a part of Soweto. As a young boy, he loved kicking a rugby ball around.

His amazing soccer skills really started to show when he was at Morris Isaacson High School. It was there that he began playing for Jomo Cosmos. At first, his parents were not sure if he could make a living from soccer. They thought it might be a short career. But they still supported him and encouraged his passion. His very first pair of soccer boots were Puma SE Rangers, which his parents bought for him.

Club Career Highlights

Reneilwe Letsholonyane spent his early career playing in smaller soccer leagues. He then joined Jomo Cosmos in 2006, which was a big step for him.

Joining Kaizer Chiefs

Two years later, in 2008, he signed with Kaizer Chiefs. This was a major club, and he quickly became a key player for them. Even though he often faced injuries, he was a very important part of the team.

He played his first game for Kaizer Chiefs on 30 August 2008. It was a tough match, and they lost 2–1. However, Reneilwe showed his power by taking a strong shot that hit the crossbar. He almost scored!

Winning Trophies

Reneilwe helped Kaizer Chiefs win many important games. He scored the winning penalty kick in the 2008 MTN 8 final, helping Chiefs beat Mamelodi Sundowns 4–3. After this big win, he was called up to play for the national team.

In the 2012–13 season, Kaizer Chiefs won both the league title and a cup. Reneilwe played in 26 league matches and scored three goals that season. He continued to be a strong player, even after facing a leg injury in late 2013.

He scored his first league goal of the 2014–15 season in a 2–1 win. He also scored in the MTN 8 semi-final, helping Chiefs win 4–0 overall. He was even named Man of the Match twice in that tournament. Reneilwe scored two goals in one game against University of Pretoria on 13 September 2014, leading his team to a 2–1 victory.

Retirement from Soccer

After many successful years, Reneilwe Letsholonyane announced his retirement from professional soccer on 1 July 2021. He had a long and impressive career.

Playing for South Africa

Reneilwe Letsholonyane started playing for the South Africa team in 2008. His first game was in September 2008 against Malawi.

He scored his second goal for South Africa in a big 5–0 win against Guatemala on 31 May 2010. Reneilwe also had the honor of playing in two major international tournaments: the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 African Cup of Nations. He earned his 50th cap (meaning he played his 50th game) for South Africa in a 2–1 win against Sudan in 2015.

Personal Life

Reneilwe has a younger brother named Ruben, who is also a soccer player. Reneilwe lives in Fourways, Johannesburg. He has shared that he sometimes misses the strong community feeling that exists in townships, where neighbors often feel like one big family.

Honours and Achievements

Reneilwe Letsholonyane won many trophies during his career with different clubs.

With Kaizer Chiefs

• Premier Soccer League: 2012–13, 2014–15
• MTN 8: 2008, 2014
• Telkom Knockout: 2009, 2010
• Telkom Charity Cup: 2010
• Nedbank Cup: 2013
• Carling Black Label Cup: 2013

With SuperSport United

• MTN 8: 2017
• Nedbank Cup: 2016–17

See also

In Spanish: Reneilwe Letsholonyane para niños