Elias Gaspar Pelembe (born 13 November 1983), also known as Dominguês, is a Mozambican footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Moçambola club UD Songo and the Mozambique national team.
Club career Dominguês, as he is nicknamed, was born in Maputo. He moved to South Africa in 2007 from Desportivo Maputo. He was considered Supersport United's most influential player when they won the 2007–08 South African Premiership and was subsequently voted PSL Player of the Season.
During the summer of 2009, he was rumoured to be closing in on a move to one of Europe's bigger leagues as he had caught the eye of Tottenham Hotspur scouts following a string of impressive performers for club and national team. Eventually he was bought by big spenders Mamelodi Sundowns where he was handed a substantial wage.
On 17 May 2017, Bidvest Wits were crowned 2016–17 South African Premiership Champions, following a 2–0 win over Polokwane City, beating his former club Mamelodi Sundowns in the title race. According to his coach, Gavin Hunt, Dominguês was instrumental in that game. The win also meant he is now one of very few players to have won the South African Premiership title four times (with three different clubs), having also won two with Supersport United in 2007–08 South African Premiership and 2008–09 South African Premiership and one with Mamelodi Sundowns) in 2013–14 South African Premiership.
Furthermore, the win also meant he successfully completed a League and Cup double, since Bidvest Wits also won the MTN 8 title earlier in the season, with a 3–0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns at the Mbombela Stadium, on 1 October 2016.
He left Bidvest Wits at the end of the 2019–20 season. He joined Polokwane City in a free agent transfer in February 2021.
International career Dominguês began his international career with Mozambique in 2004 and went on to become the nation's most capped player, earning over 120 appearances.
On 24 December 2025, at the age of 42 years, one month and six days, Dominguês became the oldest-ever outfield player to make an appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations when he was introduced as a 67th-minute substitute in Mozambique's 1–0 group game loss to Ivory Coast, and second oldest overall only behind goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsMozambique20041020052020063020077020089220098220107120115220125120134120141132015512016622017412018402019402020402021402022402023902024121202550202610Total12417
Scores and results list Mozambique's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Domingues goal.
+ List of international goals scored by DominguesNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 22 June 2008 Estádio da Machava, Maputo, Mozambique 3–0 3–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification2 20 August 2008 Estádio da Machava, Maputo, Mozambique 3–0 3–0 Friendly3 11 February 2009 Estádio da Machava, Maputo, Mozambique 2–0 2–0 Friendly4 20 June 2009 Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, Kenya 1–1 1–2 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification5 11 August 2010 Estádio da Machava, Maputo, Mozambique 1–0 2–1 Friendly6 8 October 2011 Estádio da Machava, Maputo, Mozambique 3–0 3–0 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification7 15 November 2011 Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique 1–0 4–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification8 9 September 2012 Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique 2–0 2–0 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification9 9 June 2013 Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea 1–2 1–6 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification10 20 July 2014 National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 1–0 2–2 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification11 3 August 2014 Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique 2–1 2–1 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification12 10 September 2014 Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique 1–0 1–1 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification13 29 March 2015 Lobatse Stadium, Lobatse, Botswana 2–1 2–1 Friendly14 4 June 2016 Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda 1–0 3–2 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification15 3–216 2 September 2017 Estádio do Zimpeto, Maputo, Mozambique 1–0 1–1 Friendly17 14 October 2024 Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela, South Africa 1–0 3–0 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
Honours Mamelodi Sundowns South African Premiership: 2013–14 Nedbank Cup: 2014–15
SuperSport United South African Premiership: 2007–08, 2008–09
Bidvest Wits South African Premiership: 2016–17 MTN 8: 2016 Telkom Knockout Cup: 2017
References
External links
Bidvest Wits profile