Cassius Mailula
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cassius Tumelo Mailula[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 June 2001[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Ga-Molepo, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016–2022 | Mamelodi Sundowns | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 18 | (9) |
| 2023–2026 | Toronto FC | 5 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Toronto FC II (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Wydad AC (loan) | 27 | (5) |
| 2025–2026 | → Kortrijk (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | South Africa | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 July 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17 June 2023 | |||
Cassius Tumelo Mailula (born 12 June 2001) is a South African professional soccer player who plays for the South Africa national team.
Early life
[edit]In 2016, he joined the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy, after being scouted at the Mandela Youth Challenge in Soweto, where he was named Player Of The Tournament and won the Golden Boot award.[2][3]
Club career
[edit]Mailula made his senior debut for Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African Premier Division during a 1–0 win against Chippa United in September 2022.[4][5] He scored his first senior goals on 14 October 2022, in a match against La Passe FC in the CAF Champions League, netting a hat-trick.[6][7] He scored his first league goals on 25 October, netting a brace against Maritzburg United.[8] Mailula was subsequently named the league's Young Player of the Season for his debut campaign.[9]
In July 2023, Mailula signed with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, signing through the 2026 season, with an option for 2027.[10][11] He made his debut on 26 August 2023, in a substitute appearance, against the Columbus Crew.[12] He scored his first goal for the club on 24 April 2024 in a 2024 Canadian Championship match against semi-pro club Simcoe County Rovers FC.[13] In 2024, he spent some time on loan with the second team, Toronto FC II, in MLS Next Pro.[14] In August 2024, he went on loan with Moroccan Botola club Wydad AC through 31 July 2025, with an option for a permanent transfer at the conclusion of the loan, reuniting him with Rhulani Mokwena, who was his coach at Mamelodi Sundowns.[15] He scored his first goal for Wydad on 3 November 2024, netting a late winner in a 1–0 victory over FUS Rabat.[16] In September 2025, he was loaned to Belgian Challenger Pro League club Kortrijk through June 2026, with Kortrijk holding a purchase option.[17] Upon his return from his loan, on 3 July 2026, Mailula agreed to a mutual termination of the remainder of his contract with Toronto FC.[18]
International career
[edit]In March 2023, Mailula was called up to the South Africa national team for the first time for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches.[19][20] He made his debut on 24 March 2023 against Liberia.[21]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 26 June 2025[22]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goal | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 2022–23 | South African Premier Division | 18 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | 10[c] | 7 | 2[d] | 0 | 32 | 16 | |
| Toronto FC | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | Major League Soccer | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |||
| Total | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Toronto FC II (loan) | 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Wydad AC (loan) | 2024–25 | Botola Pro | 27 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 3[e] | 1 | 36 | 6 | |
| Career total | 51 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 77 | 24 | ||
- ↑ Includes Nedbank Cup, Canadian Championship and Moroccan Throne Cup
- ↑ Includes Excellence Cup
- ↑ Appearances in CAF Champions League
- ↑ Appearances in MTN 8
- ↑ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
Honours
[edit]Mamelodi Sundowns
Individual
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ – Squad List: Wydad AC (MAR)" (PDF). FIFA. 4 July 2025. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ Rabothe, Tshepo (24 August 2022). "Who is Cassius Mailula – the unknown Sundowns substitute?". Far Post.
- ↑ "Mailula backed by teammate for bright future". Kick Off. 29 October 2022.
- ↑ "Player Analysis: Cassius Mailula". Breaking the Lines. 11 May 2023.
- ↑ Sithole, Sinethemba (9 September 2022). "Cassius Mailula grateful after making Mamelodi Sundowns' debut". The South African.
- ↑ Mark, Jonty (14 October 2022). "Mailula shines as Sundowns hand La Passe another pasting". The Citizen.
- ↑ "Mailula hat-trick helps Sundowns thrash La Passe in CAF Champions League". News24. 14 October 2022.
- ↑ Madlala, Robin-Duke (25 October 2022). "Mailula & Domingo Grab Braces As Sundowns Crush Maritzburg". iDiski Times.
- ↑ Mphahlele, Mahlatse (29 May 2023). "After breakthrough season Sundowns' Mailula wants to be home with his mom". TimesLIVE.
- ↑ Mphahlele, Mahlatse (25 July 2023). "'Dream come true to play against Messi': Sundowns' Mailula on move to MLS". TimesLIVE.
- ↑ "Toronto FC sign South African forward Cassius Mailula". Toronto FC. 28 July 2023.
- ↑ Madyauta, Terry (28 August 2023). "Former Sundowns star Cassius Mailula reflects on his MLS debut". Far Post.
- ↑ "Cassius Mailula scores first goal for Toronto FC in thrashing of Simcoe County Rovers". Waking the Red. 25 April 2024.
- ↑ "Toronto FC loan Cassius Mailula to Toronto FC II". Toronto FC. 28 April 2024.
- ↑ Khoza, Neville (21 August 2024). "Mailula explains why he joined Rulani-coached Wydad in Morocco". The Sowetan.
- ↑ "Mokwena Leaps To Mailula's Defence After Wydad Winner". SNL 24. 4 November 2024.
- ↑ "TFC sends Mailula out on loan again, this time to a Belgian team". TSN. 8 September 2025.
- ↑ "Toronto FC agree to mutual termination with forward Cassius Mailula". Toronto FC. 3 July 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
- ↑ Willis, Seth (21 March 2023). "Mailula delighted with 'surprise' Bafana Bafana call-up – 'It's always been something I wanted'". Goal. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023.
- ↑ Strydom, Marc (7 March 2023). "Sundowns' red-hot Cassius Mailula included in Bafana squad". TimesLIVE.
- ↑ Mphahlele, Mahlatse (24 March 2023). "Unconvincing Bafana stunned by Liberia as Afcon hopes fade". TimesLIVE.
- ↑ Cassius Mailula at Soccerway
- ↑ "Mokoena, Seleng win top honours at PSL awards". Premier Soccer League. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
External links
[edit]- Cassius Mailula at Soccerway.com
- Cassius Mailula at FBref.com
- Cassius Mailula at Kicker (in German)
- Cassius Mailula at Major League Soccer
- 2001 births
- Soccer players from Limpopo
- Living people
- 21st-century South African sportsmen
- Men's association football forwards
- South African men's soccer players
- South Africa men's international soccer players
- Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. players
- Toronto FC players
- Toronto FC II players
- Wydad AC players
- KV Kortrijk players
- South African Premier Division players
- Major League Soccer players
- MLS Next Pro players
- Botola players
- Challenger Pro League players
- South African expatriate men's soccer players
- Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Canada
- Expatriate men's footballers in Morocco
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Morocco
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Belgium