Blaise Nkufo facts for kids
Nkufo playing for the Switzerland national team in 2007.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Isetsima Blaise Nkufo | ||
| Date of birth | 25 May 1975 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, Zaire | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1994 | Lausanne | 2 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Echallens | 16 | (9) |
| 1995–1996 | Al-Arabi | 12 | (6) |
| 1996–1997 | Yverdon | 35 | (12) |
| 1997–1998 | Lausanne | 34 | (18) |
| 1998–2000 | Grasshopper | 18 | (4) |
| 1999–2000 | → Lugano (loan) | 21 | (14) |
| 2000–2001 | Lucerne | 19 | (7) |
| 2001–2002 | Mainz 05 | 42 | (20) |
| 2002–2003 | Hannover 96 | 9 | (0) |
| 2003–2010 | Twente | 223 | (114) |
| 2010 | Seattle Sounders FC | 11 | (5) |
| Total | 442 | (209) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2010 | Switzerland | 34 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2017- | Rino's Tigers | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Isetsima Blaise Nkufo (born May 25, 1975) is a former professional football player from Switzerland. He played as a striker, which is a position focused on scoring goals. After retiring as a player, he became a coach.
Nkufo was born in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) but moved to Switzerland when he was seven years old. He played for teams in many different countries, including Switzerland, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Over his career, he scored an amazing 209 goals in 442 league games.
He was also an important player for the Swiss national team. He played for his country 34 times and scored seven goals. He even played in the 2010 World Cup.
Contents
Club Career
Nkufo had a long and successful career playing for many different football clubs. Some of the teams he played for include Lausanne Sport, Grasshopper Club Zürich, Mainz 05, and Seattle Sounders FC.
A Legend at FC Twente
Nkufo's most famous years were with the Dutch club FC Twente, where he played from 2003 to 2010. He became a club legend by scoring 114 goals in 223 league games, making him the team's all-time top scorer.
In his final season, he helped FC Twente win the Eredivisie, which is the top football league in the Netherlands. It was the first time the club had ever won the league title in its 45-year history. To honor his incredible contribution, FC Twente built a statue of Nkufo outside their stadium.
Move to the United States
In 2010, Nkufo joined the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC. On September 18, 2010, he became the first player in the team's history to score a hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a league match.
He also helped the Sounders win the U.S. Open Cup that same year. In March 2011, Nkufo and the club decided to end his contract, and he announced his retirement from playing football just a few weeks later.
International Career
Nkufo began playing for the Swiss national team in 2000. A major highlight of his international career was playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
During the tournament, Nkufo was a key player in one of the biggest upsets. He helped Switzerland defeat Spain in their first group stage match. This was a huge surprise because Spain went on to win the entire World Cup that year.
International Goals
This table shows the seven goals Nkufo scored for Switzerland. The "Score" column shows the score of the game right after his goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 May 2002 | Espenmoos, St. Gallen, Switzerland |  Canada |
1–3 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 11 September 2007 | Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria |  Japan |
3–4 | Friendly | |
| 3 | 6 September 2008 | Ramat Gan National Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel |  Israel |
2–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | |
| 4 | 10 September 2008 | Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland |  Luxembourg |
1–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | |
| 5 | 11 October 2008 | Kybunpark, St. Gallen, Switzerland |  Latvia |
2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | |
| 6 | 15 October 2008 | Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece |  Greece |
2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | |
| 7 | 1 April 2009 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland |  Moldova |
2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
Life After Football
After he stopped playing, Nkufo stayed involved in football. He started the Nkufo Academy Sports near Vancouver, Canada, to train young soccer players. He also works as the head coach for a team called Rino's Tigers in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League.
Personal Life
Nkufo was born in Kinshasa, the capital of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). When he was seven, his family moved to Switzerland, and he later became a Swiss citizen.
He is married to a woman from Vancouver, Canada, which is why he has strong ties to the city.
How to Say His Name
Many people get Nkufo's name wrong and write it as "N'Kufo." However, Nkufo himself has said his last name is spelled Nkufo. When you say it, the "N" is silent, so it is pronounced Kufo.
Honours
Twente
- Eredivisie: 2009–10
Seattle Sounders FC
- U.S. Open Cup: 2010
See also
In Spanish: Blaise Nkufo para niños
