Lyle Foster

Lyle Brent Foster (born 3 September 2000) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for club Burnley and the South Africa national team.

Club career Foster was promoted to the Orlando Pirates' first team for the 2017–18 season. On 15 September 2017, he made his professional debut against Maritzburg United. He was named among English newspaper The Guardians top 60 most promising young players in the world. On 22 January 2018, he scored his first goal for Orlando Pirates in a 1–1 draw against Polokwane City.

He signed for Monaco in January 2019 on a deal until June 2023, where he would begin on the reserve team.

On 30 August 2019, Foster joined Monaco's feeder club Cercle Brugge in Belgium on a season-long loan.

On 13 August 2020, Foster joined Vitória de Guimarães for a transfer fee of 1.2 million euro. In 2021, he joined Westerlo on a season-long loan with an option-to-buy.

In the summer of 2022, Foster moved to Westerlo on a permanent basis and signed a four-year contract with the club.

In January 2023, Foster signed for EFL Championship club Burnley on a four-and-a-half-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Westerlo was reported as €7 million, a record for a South African player, which rose to €10 million after the Clarets guaranteed promotion to the Premier League.

On 26 October 2023, Foster signed a new five-year contract with Burnley. In November 2023, he was ruled out for an indefinite period following the reoccurrence of a mental health issue. He made his return after a two-month break when Burnley faced Everton, and went on to score in their final fixture of the year against Aston Villa. Following his return, Foster regained his place in the Burnley squad and continued to feature regularly for the club. He later spoke about the support he received from Burnley during his absence, saying that the club helped him through a difficult period and allowed him time to recover before returning to football.

International career On 1 December 2025, Foster was called up to the South Africa squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 28 May 2026, he was selected by manager Hugo Broos to represent his nation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life In July 2026, Foster paid tribute to his South Africa teammate Jayden Adams following his death. Foster shared an emotional message mourning Adams and reflecting on their friendship, with the loss having a significant personal impact on him.

Career statistics

Club

Honours Westerlo

Belgian First Division B: 2021–22

Burnley

EFL Championship: 2022–23; runner–up: 2024–25

South Africa U20

COSAFA U-20 Cup: 2017