Bongani Khumalo facts for kids
Khumalo in 2012
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bongani Sandile Khumalo | ||
| Date of birth | 6 January 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Manzini, Swaziland | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ?–2005 | Arcadia Shepherds | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2007 | AmaTuks | 50 | (4) |
| 2007–2010 | SuperSport United | 81 | (8) |
| 2011–2015 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Preston North End (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Reading (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | → PAOK (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 30 | (1) |
| 2015 | → Colchester United (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | SuperSport United | 9 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Bidvest Wits | 43 | (3) |
| Total | 255 | (16) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008–2013 | South Africa | 42 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:27, 6 July 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:42, 13 March 2014 |
|||
Bongani Sandile Khumalo, born on January 6, 1987, is a retired South African football player. He was a strong defender, known as a centre-back. He played for clubs like Bidvest Wits and was also a key player for the South Africa national team.
Early Life and Education
Bongani Khumalo was born in Manzini, Swaziland. When he was a baby, his family moved to Pretoria, South Africa. His father was a language teacher at the University of South Africa, and his mother was also a teacher.
While growing up in Pretoria, Bongani started his professional football career. At the same time, he began studying for a degree at the University of Pretoria. Later, when he moved to England to play football, he had to pause his studies.
Club Football Career
Bongani Khumalo had an exciting career playing for several football clubs. He started in South Africa and later played in England and Greece.
Starting in South Africa
University of Pretoria
Bongani started his youth football at the Arcadia Shepherds academy. In 2005, he joined the University of Pretoria team. He played there for two seasons in the National First Division. During this time, he scored four goals in 50 games. His great performance caught the attention of bigger clubs.
SuperSport United Success
In 2007, Bongani joined SuperSport United. He quickly became an important player for the team. He was even named the team captain. Over the next three seasons, he helped SuperSport United win the South African Premier Division three times in a row. He became the youngest player ever to lift the league title at just 23 years old.
Playing in England and Greece
Joining Tottenham Hotspur
SuperSport United had a special agreement with the English club Tottenham Hotspur. In 2010, Bongani signed a deal to join Tottenham Hotspur in January 2011. He had a successful trial with them in September. His transfer was officially completed on January 7, 2011.
Loan Moves and Experience
While at Tottenham Hotspur, Bongani went on several loan moves to gain more playing experience.
- In March 2011, he joined Preston North End, a team in the Football League Championship. He played his first game for them in April 2011.
- In July 2011, he moved to another Championship club, Reading, on a season-long loan.
- In July 2012, Bongani went to Greece to play for PAOK on a one-year loan.
- In July 2013, he joined Doncaster Rovers in the Championship for a season. He even scored a winning goal for them in a League Cup match.
- In March 2015, he joined Colchester United on loan for the rest of the season. He played ten games for them before returning to Tottenham.
Bongani was released by Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2014–15 season. He did not play any official games for the club during his 4.5 years there.
Returning to South Africa
In August 2015, Bongani returned to South Africa and signed again with SuperSport United. He played 10 games for them before moving to another Premier Soccer League team, Bidvest Wits.
Retirement from Football
Bongani Khumalo officially retired from playing professional football on September 21, 2021.
International Career
Bongani Khumalo also played for the South Africa national team, known as Bafana Bafana.
Major Tournaments
He was part of the South Africa squad for two big tournaments held in South Africa:
- The 2009 Confederations Cup
- The 2010 FIFA World Cup
World Cup Goal
On June 22, 2010, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Bongani scored the first goal against the France team. South Africa won that game 2–1.
National Team Captain
Bongani was also the captain of the national team at the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
International Goals Scored
Here is a list of the goals Bongani Khumalo scored for the South Africa national team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 June 2010 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa |  France |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
See also
In Spanish: Bongani Khumalo para niños
