Tokelo Rantie
A speedy South African striker whose international promise and club journey across continents was marked by both flashes of brilliance and unfulfilled potential.
Born 1990 (age 36)·South African soccer player·Birthday: September 8·Millennials
Biography
Tokelo Rantie burst onto the scene as one of South Africa's most exciting forward prospects in the early 2010s. His raw pace and direct style made him a constant threat for the national team, Bafana Bafana, where he became a fan favorite. His club career, however, was a globe-trotting saga of what might have been. After starting in South Africa, he moved to Sweden's Malmö FF, where he showed glimpses of his talent. A high-profile transfer to England's AFC Bournemouth followed, but he struggled to secure a consistent starting role in the competitive Championship. Subsequent moves took him to Turkey and later to various clubs, including a stint in Lithuania. While his club path never found a steady rhythm, his commitment to the national shirt was never in doubt, and he remains a memorable figure for his explosive style in the green and gold.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tokelo was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tokelo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Tokelo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned over 40 caps for the South Africa national football team, scoring important goals in qualifying campaigns.
- Won the Swedish Allsvenskan league title with Malmö FF in 2013.
- Helped AFC Bournemouth gain promotion to the English Premier League during the 2014-15 season.
Did You Know?
He scored South Africa's first goal at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
His transfer from Malmö FF to AFC Bournemouth was a club-record fee for Bournemouth at the time.
He is known by the nickname 'Jomo', a homage to South African football legend Jomo Sono.
“I just want to play football and make my country proud.”
