Monnapule Saleng (born 13 March 1998 ) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Orlando Pirates and the South Africa national team. He was named MTN 8 Last Man Standing and DSTV Premiership Players' Player Of The Season at the 2023 PSL Awards.
Having started his career at Orbit College in the SAFA Second Division, Saleng joined Free State Stars in 2019.[2][3] He was the top scorer in the 2020–21 National First Division, scoring 13 goals in 29 matches.[4][3]
Saleng signed for South African Premier Division club Orlando Pirates in July 2021, but spent the 2021–22 season on loan at Moroka Swallows, where he scored twice in 22 league appearances.[5] He returned to Pirates for the 2022–23 season, where he became a first-team regular, scoring five goals in eight matches in the opening half of the season.[6]
Saleng was part of the South Africa squad at the 2021 COSAFA Cup, starting in the opening 1–0 victory against Botswana.[7] In total, he made 6 appearances as South Africa won the tournament.[1][8]
In November 2022, Saleng was included in the South Africa squad for two friendly fixtures against Angola and Mozambique.[6]
| Club | Season | League | Nedbank Cup | MTN8 | Continental[a] | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Moroka Swallows FC | 2021–2022 | South African Premier Division | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| Orlando Pirates | 2022–2023 | South African Premier Division | 22 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 30 | 15 | |
| 2023–2024 | South African Premier Division | 17 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| Total | 39 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 20 | ||
| Career total | 61 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 86 | 22 | ||
