South African soccer player
Andile Ernest Jali (born 10 April 1990) is a South African professional soccer player who once played for Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and is currently signed to Moroka Swallows. He also plays for the South African national team.
Club career
Mhlekazi, as his teammates refer to him, has made a name for himself since moving from the National First Division side Pretoria University to Soweto giants Orlando Pirates.
He joined Orlando Pirates in 2009. He since became the subject of favourable comparisons to Benedict Vilakazi - who wore the number 15 jersey before Jali.
Jali was part of the Orlando Pirates squad that made history in South African football by winning three trophies in one season under Dutch coach Ruud Krol. The same team went on to defend two of their trophies won in the previous year and also win another to make it a back to back treble. Jali has established himself as one of the most important players in the Orlando Pirates squad, winning several trophies at his time at the club. Partly due to his success with the Soweto side, he was touted as the future captain of the South African national team (Bafana Bafana). He has also received acclaim for his performances with some analysts claiming he has the potential to make a name for himself in European football.
In January 2014, Jali signed for Belgian Pro League team K.V. Oostende. During the 2015–16 season, he's second at the club; Jali was impressive, helping guide Oostende to a 5th-place finish in the Belgian Pro League.
In 2023 he moved to Moroka Swallows, but the club faced major internal problems with players leading a strike. Moroka Swallows forfeited two league games. In January 2024, over 20 players were fired, including Jali.[2][3] Jali lost a legal case against Moroka Swallows.[4]
International career
He was a member of the South African squad at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
He made his debut for South Africa in 2010. In 2010, Jali was named in the preliminary 30-man South African squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup but missed out on the 23-man squad because of a mild heart condition which ruled him out of the competition.[5]
During 2015, Jali was called up the 2015 African Cup of Nations, playing in South Africa's games against Algeria, Ghana and Senegal in the competition.
International goals
- Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.[6]
| # |
Date |
Venue |
Opponent |
Score |
Result |
Competition
|
| 1. |
4 September 2011 |
Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey, Niger |
 Niger |
1–2 |
1–2 |
2012 African Cup of Nations qualification
|
| 2. |
8 October 2015 |
Estadio Edgardo Baltodano Briceño, Liberia, Costa Rica |
 Costa Rica |
1–0 |
1–0 |
Friendly
|
| 3. |
13 November 2015 |
Estádio Nacional de Ombaka, Benguela, Angola |
 Angola |
3–1 |
3–1 |
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
| 4. |
25 March 2017 |
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |
 Guinea-Bissau |
3–1 |
3–1 |
Friendly
|
| 5. |
5 September 2017 |
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |
 Cape Verde |
1–2 |
1–2 |
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
|
Honours
Orlando Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns
Individual
PSL player of the season, Premier soccer League winner 2019 /2020 season with Sundowns. Nedbank cup 2020 with Sundowns.
