Keagan Dolly

Keagan Larenzo Dolly (born 22 January 1993) is a South African professional football player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League and the South Africa national team. He won the Premier Soccer League Young Player of the Season award for the 2013–14 season after showing great performances and becoming a key player for Mamelodi Sundowns.[5]

Keagan Dolly
Dolly while at Montpellier
Personal information
Full name Keagan Larenzo Dolly[1]
Date of birth (1993-01-22) 22 January 1993[2]
Place of birth Johannesburg, South Africa
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder[4]
Team information
Current team
 Kaizer Chiefs
Number 10
Youth career
Westbury Arsenal
SAFA School of Excellence
2005–2011 Mamelodi Sundowns
2011–2012 Ajax Cape Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Ajax Cape Town 39 (4)
2014–2017 Mamelodi Sundowns 34 (5)
2014–2015 → Ajax Cape Town (loan) 16 (1)
2017–2021 Montpellier 56 (1)
2021– Kaizer Chiefs 49 (12)
International career‡
2013– South Africa 15 (2)
2015 South Africa U23 5 (0)
2016 South Africa Olympic 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:22, 4 April 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:43, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Mamelodi Sundowns

Born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, Dolly started playing football at Westbury Arsenal, then later he moved to School of Excellence where he was spotted by Mamelodi Sundowns. After impressing at their youth structures he went on to sign with Ajax Cape Town.[6]

Ajax Cape Town

Dolly completed a move to Ajax Cape Town and this is perhaps where Dolly made a reputation for himself. During a spell at Ajax he won the Premier Soccer League Young Player award for the 2013–14 season. This triggered Sundowns to buy him back from Ajax Cape Town for their 2014–15 season, but because of many players occupying the same position as Keagan during that season, Sundowns opted to loan him back to Ajax for the player to get more playing time.

Return to Mamelodi Sundowns

Sundowns included Dolly to their squad for the 2015–16 campaign as they intended to bolster their team for the league and for the CAF champions league. Dolly with Sundows went on to win the league for the 2015–16 season, and they automatically qualified for the CAF champions league. Sundowns were eliminated by AS Vita Club in the third round of the Caf Champions league but with the turn of events AS Vita Club were eliminated in the competition due to the finding that they had used an ineligible player during the preliminary matches of the 2016 Orange CAF Champions League. Sundowns were reinstated to the competition and with the outstanding performances from Dolly and the whole team, Sundowns went on to win the competition.[7] Dolly, Billiat and Onyango were nominated for best African Inter-Club Player of the Year (Based in Africa) of which was won by Keagan's teammate Dennis Onyango. Dolly was included in the 2016 CAF Team of the year. With outstanding performances from Dolly it eventually attracted interests from various clubs in Europe. In September 2016 it was announced that Olympiacos F.C. were interested in signing Dolly.

Contract Dispute with Mamelodi Sundowns

In November 2016, it was reported that Sundowns had taken their star midfielder to the DRC to contest a buyout clause of around €750,000 that was written into his contract, that was signed 17 months prior which Sundowns stated it was too low. The argument was that a mistake was made by Sundowns, and that they wanted it to be rectified to an amount around £1.5 million. Sundowns eventually won the case and the buyout clause was updated to £1.5 million.[8]

Montpellier

On 26 January 2017, it was announced that Dolly had signed with Montpellier HSC. He left the club in summer 2021.[9]

Kaizer Chiefs

Dolly returned to South Africa in July 2021, joining Kaizer Chiefs.[9]

International career

Under-23

Keagan Dolly played for the under 23's and represented his country during the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations tournament which was held in Senegal. The tournament acted as the CAF qualifiers for the Olympic football tournament, of which South Africa qualified as the third-place country. Dolly captained the South African side during the 2016 Summer Olympics men's football tournament.[10]

International goals
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dolly goal.[4]
List of international goals scored by Keagan Dolly
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
14 June 2016Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia Gambia3–04–02017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
24–0

Style of play

Dolly primarily plays as either a winger or occasionally as an attacking midfielder, he often plays as a left sided winger for both club and country. Due to his energetic pace and playmaking skills; this position allows him to shoot with his stronger foot. The diminutive left-footed player is capable of occupying any position behind the forward line. His extreme pace and close control allows him to roam into pockets of space around the pitch in the same way as Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata. Former South African playmaker Steven Pienaar had also tipped Dolly on becoming one of the best exports that South Africa has ever produced.[11]

Personal life

Like Steven Pienaar, Dolly hails from Westbury, a largely coloured township in Johannesburg.[12] He was educated at the prestigious Potchefstroom High School for Boys .

Honours

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa U23

Individual

References
  1. "2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations - Group A squads" (PDF). cafonline.com. Confederation of African Football. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  2. "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2016: List of Players: Memelodi Sundowns" (PDF). FIFA. 14 December 2016. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017.
  3. "Keagan Dolly". MHSC Foot (in French). Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  4. "Keagan Dolly". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  5. "MTN Football Page has moved". Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  6. "Keagan Dolly (Montpellier) - Mamelodi Sundowns - kickoff.com". Archived from the original on 24 March 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  7. "CAF explains Mamelodi Sundowns replacing AS Vita in Champions League". KickOff. 24 May 2016.
  8. "Mamelodi Sundowns Have Won Their DRC Case Against Keagan Dolly". www.soccerladuma.co.za. 5 January 2017.
  9. "Kaizer Chiefs confirm Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander signing". Kick Off. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  10. "Keagan Dolly's Move To France Has Been Confirmed". www.soccerladuma.co.za. 26 January 2017.
  11. "Pienaar backing Dolly's South Africa exit - SportsClub". 19 September 2016.
  12. Independent Newspapers Online (29 August 2012). "Pienaar: The inspiration behind the rise of Dolly - Cape Argus". IOL.co.za. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  13. "2015 U23 Africa Cup of Nations matches".
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