31 Aug 2026

The number, ‘Seven’, has always been part of Refilwe Tholakele story. It became the number that defined her latest continental triumph.

The Botswana international finished the CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifier as the tournament’s leading scorer with seven goals, including both goals in Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ 2-1 victory over Zambia’s ZESCO Ndola Girls in the final.

The performance earned Tholakele the Golden Boot and helped Sundowns secure the COSAFA region’s place at the CAF Women’s Champions League finals later this year.

For a player known by the nickname ‘Seven,’ the achievement carried an almost perfect symmetry.

However, behind the seven goals is a career that has demanded patience and resilience.

Tholakele began her senior career in Botswana before taking her first major step abroad in 2022, when she joined Equatorial Guinean side Malabo Kings.

The move did not go as planned and she returned home before joining Sundowns in 2023. 

Her arrival in South Africa marked a significant turning point.

She scored on her Sundowns debut and quickly established herself as a dangerous attacking option. 

Later that year, she finished as the top scorer at the CAF Women’s Champions League with five goals as Sundowns lifted the continental title.

Her progress was interrupted in 2024 when she suffered a broken leg, forcing her to face another period on the sidelines.

She returned to action and continued to build her career with the South African giants.

The latest chapter unfolded on home soil. Playing in Gaborone, Tholakele became one of the standout performers of Sundowns’s COSAFA campaign.

She scored three times in their opening match against Nsingizini Hotspurs and continued to make her presence felt as they progressed to the knockout stages.

Tholakele saved her biggest contributions for the decisive matches, where she scored a brace in the semi-final against defending champions Gaborone United before producing another brace in the final against ZESCO.

The four goals in the knockout stages took her tournament tally to seven and secured her the Golden Boot.

Tholakele’s contribution helped Sundowns reclaim the regional title and return to the CAF Women’s Champions League stage.

ZESCO finished runners-up, while defending champions Gaborone United secured third place after beating Malawi’s Silver Strikers in the third-place play off.

For Tholakele the tournament will be remembered for more than a trophy, but showcasing her God given talent on home soil.Speaking in an interview, Tholakele said she was happy she could help her team to the CAF stage and equally happy to have played on home soil and show her people how much she had grown.  BOPA