Sibusiso Zuma

Sibusiso Wiseman Zuma (born 23 June 1975) is a South African former professional footballer who played as a forward or midfielder.

Sibusiso Zuma
Zuma with Arminia Bielefeld in 2007
Personal information
Full name Sibusiso Wiseman Zuma[1]
Date of birth (1975-06-23) 23 June 1975
Place of birth Durban, South Africa
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker, attacking midfielder, right winger
Youth career
Mighty Pa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1998 African Wanderers 71 (29)
1998–2000 Orlando Pirates 70 (37)
2000–2005 F.C. Copenhagen 145 (40)
2005–2008 Arminia Bielefeld 69 (8)
2008–2009 Mamelodi Sundowns 12 (1)
2009–2010 Nordsjælland 13 (1)
2010–2011 Vasco da Gama 27 (11)
2011–2015 SuperSport United 39 (6)
Total 446 (133)
National team
1998–2008 South Africa 66 (13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Early career

Born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma started his career for South African clubs Mighty Pa, African Wanderers and Orlando Pirates.

F.C. Copenhagen

In June 2000, Zuma joined Danish club F.C. Copenhagen, where he blossomed as a player.[2]

In 2001 Zuma was tied for 29th place for the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year award.

He helped the club win its second Danish football championship and was voted into the club's hall of fame for his outstanding efforts in the 2004–05 season,

In 2006 Zuma was voted number one by the fans among the greatest profiles to have ever played in F.C. Copenhagen.[3]

According to Zuma he played his best football at F.C. Copenhagen which still feels like his second home. He enjoys legend status at F.C. Copenhagen as the best player ever to play in the club. Zuma thinks he owes everything to FC Copenhagen and that he enjoyed every day he was at the club. It is a part of his life that he will never forget. Zuma also tells that "South Africans will tell you that Zuma is a king in Denmark".[4]

F.C. Copenhagen won its second Superliga championship in 2001 after almost a decade without becoming champions, winning 3–1 in the last New Firm match of the season, at the Parken Stadium. The 2–0 goal was a bicycle kick by Zuma, who received the ball at his chest, where he bounced it in the air, and in the same motion executed the overhead kick, volleying the ball into the far corner, out of Brøndby keeper Mogens Krogh's reach. This was voted the Danish goal of the year,[5] and was voted the best Superliga goal of the decade in December 2009.[6]

In 2013, Zuma's bicycle kick was voted the greatest moment in the history of F.C. Copenhagen.[7] A monument was made to honour the greatest moment and thereby Zuma's bicycle kick. Zuma himself was invited by F.C. Copenhagen and attended Parken on 18 August 2013 where the unveiling of the monument took place.[8][9] The monument was a relief of Zuma's bicycle kick.

On the day of the unveiling of the relief Zuma said: "It's an honour to be here. I love those guys. I love F.C. Copenhagen fans to dead. I am amazingly happy. It's one of the best days in my life".[10]

Arminia Bielefeld

After five and a half years at FC Copenhagen, Zuma was sold to German Bundesliga club Arminia Bielefeld for €1 million in July 2005.[11]

Mamelodi Sundowns

On 21 June 2008, Zuma signed for Mamelodi Sundowns.[12] He was released in the summer of 2009 and in October 2009 he had a trial period with FC Nordsjælland, eventually being signed by the club.

Nordsjælland

On 16 October 2009, he signed a one-year contract with the Danish club FC Nordsjælland. On 8 November 2009 Zuma scored his first goal for Nordsjælland in the club's 1–0 win over SønderjyskE.[13] When Nordsjælland visited F.C. Copenhagen on 24 March 2010 in a Danish League match, Zuma played well and was substituted to a large majority of the F.C. Copenhagen supporters applauding him. A distinctly touched Zuma claimed that the home supporters were incredible.[14]

International career

He has represented South Africa 67 times. He played for his country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Zuma was the captain of South African National team at the 2006 African Cup of Nations tournament.

Personal life

Sibusiso Zuma Foundation

In 2010, Zuma opened the Sibusiso Zuma Foundation which works with young kids with HIV.[4] The foundation also works with "prevention and education about HIV/Aids" and "the prevention of HIV infection and/or the distribution of information relating to HIV/Aids".[15]

Zuma says: "I'm just trying to help a lot of communities here in South Africa. Especially the poor ones."[4]

Nickname

He is also known as "Zuma the Puma" to the club's supporters and "Puma" appears on his shirt instead of "Zuma" in the Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 video game.

Other nicknames while he played in F.C. Copenhagen were Sibu or just Zuma.[3]

Incident

On 25 June 2007, it was reported that Zuma had been involved in an incident in his home country South Africa.[16] After an altercation there were allegations that he threatened to shoot a group of men at a party in Kokstad. The local police investigated the situation, and Zuma was prevented from leaving the country for a period, but no charges were made.[17]

Family

Zuma told in the 2002 documentary "Zuma the Puma" that his father was never very supportive of his footballing career, never believing in him, telling him he would never be good enough, never coming to his games and always working instead. When Zuma moved to the Orlando Pirates in 1998, his father told him "The good players play on the national team." Zuma's father died the day before his son played his first game for the South Africa national team.[18]

Career statistics

International goals

Source:[19]
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
124 March 2001Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Mauritius3–03–02002 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
21 July 20014 August Stadium, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Burkina Faso1–01–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
33 February 2002Amady Ngaou Stadium, Segou, Mali Morocco1–03–02002 Africa Cup of Nations
43 September 20054 August Stadium, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Burkina Faso1–31–32006 FIFA World Cup qualification
58 October 2005Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa DR Congo1–02–2
62–2
712 November 2005Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Senegal1—12–3Friendly
824 March 2007Stade Omnisports Idriss Mahamat Ouya, Ndjamena, Chad Chad3–03–02008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
92 June 2007Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa2–04–0
103-0
1117 June 2007Stade Municipal, Pointe-Noire, Congo Congo1–01–1
1213 January 2008Chatsworth Stadium, Durban, South Africa Mozambique1–02–0Friendly
1316 January 2008King Zwelithini Stadium, Durban, South Africa Botswana2–12–1

References

  1. Sven Gartung (7 September 2005). "Aus dem WM-Test wird die Abschiedsvorstellung des Trainers" (in German). faz.net. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  2. "FCK's history 1999–2000" (in Danish). fck.dk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  3. "De tre største" (in Danish). fck.dk. 9 March 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  4. "F.C. København legenden: Zuma". F.C. København. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  5. "Season 2000/01 – Winning the championship...at last". F.C. Copenhagen. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2007.
  6. "Her er årtusindets bedste mål" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  7. "Det største øjeblik: Afsløringen" (in Danish). fck.dk. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  8. "Det største øjeblik: Zuma fortæller om drømmemålet" (in Danish). fck.dk. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  9. "Zuma-monumentet afsløres mod AGF" (in Danish). fck.dk. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  10. "Se Zumas store dag i PARKEN" (in Danish). fck.dk. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  11. "Zuma skifter til Arminia Bielefeld" (in Danish). 31 May 2005. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  12. "Zuma signs for Sundowns". Kick Off. 21 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
  13. "bold.kampdata" (in Danish). bold.dk. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  14. "Følelsesladet Zuma: Det rører mig" (in Danish). bold.dk. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  15. "Sibusiso Zuma Foundation". olivershouse.co.za. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  16. "Sibusiso Zuma may face criminal charges". Mail & Guardian. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  17. "Fodboldspilleren Zuma i skuddrama" (in Danish). nyhederne.tv2.dk. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  18. "Zuma the puma". www.dfi.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  19. Sibusiso Zuma at National-Football-Teams.com
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