Bongani Zungu
Zungu with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-10-09) 9 October 1992 (age 31)
Place of birth Duduza, South Africa
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Mamelodi Sundowns
Number 8
Youth career
2010–2012 Dynamos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 University of Pretoria 25 (7)
2013–2016 Mamelodi Sundowns 58 (1)
2016–2017 Vitória Guimarães 19 (1)
2017–2022 Amiens 67 (1)
2020–2021 → Rangers (loan) 14 (0)
2022– Mamelodi Sundowns 16 (1)
International career‡
2013–2021 South Africa 30 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:44, 2 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:11, 08 February 2023 (UTC)

Bongani Zungu (born 9 October 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns and the South Africa national team.

Club career

Having joined the University of Pretoria from Dynamos at the start of the 2012–13 season, Zungu helped AmaTuks to a top eight finish in the club's debut campaign in the PSL. At the end of the season it was announced that Zungu would be joining Mamelodi Sundowns in a swap deal, with Buhle Mkhwanazi and Siyabonga Ngubane joining University of Pretoria.[1]

Zungu suffered a hairline fracture of the shin in a 3–2 win over Maritzburg United, ruling him out for up to twelve weeks.[2] Despite missing most of the second half of the 2015–16 season, Zungu had the perfect send off from Sundowns with the club lifting the PSL title in May of 2016.[3]

On 20 January 2016, Zungu's agent Steve Kapeluschnik confirmed that he would be joining Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.[4] After a season in Portugal, Zungu moved to French club Amiens.

Zungu signed for Scottish club Rangers on loan from Amiens in October 2020.[5] Rangers secured an option to sign him permanently for a £2.7 million transfer fee.[6] In February 2021 he was one of five Rangers players fined by Scottish police "for attending an illegal gathering of 10 people in a flat" in breach of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[6]

International career

Zungu made his debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Burkina Faso on 17 August 2013.[7] He scored his first international goal against Swaziland on 15 November 2013, with South Africa winning 3–0.[8]

Personal life

In July 2014 Zungu was a victim of a hi-jacking when a group of armed men made off with his car outside his home in Duduza.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 April 2021[10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
University of Pretoria 2012–13 Premier Division 25 7 1 0 1 0 — 0 0 27 7
Mamelodi Sundowns 2013–14 Premier Division 22 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 26 1
2014–15 23 0 5 0 1 0 2 0 1[a] 0 32 0
2015–16 13 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 17 2
Total 58 1 7 0 7 2 2 0 1 0 75 3
Vitória Guimarães 2016–17 Primeira Liga 16 0 5 1 2 1 — — 23 2
2017–18 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 4 1
Total 19 1 5 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 27 3
Amiens 2017–18 Ligue 1 26 1 0 0 2 0 — — 28 1
2018–19 5 0 0 0 0 0 — — 5 0
2019–20 21 1 0 0 1 0 — — 22 1
Rangers (on loan) 2020–21 Scottish Premiership 14 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 21 0
Career total 169 11 13 1 15 3 7 0 2 0 205 15
  1. ^ Appearance in the MTN 8 Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in the Supertaça Cup

International

As of matches played on 23 February 2021[11]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
South Africa 2013 6 1
2014 3 0
2015 9 1
2016 0 0
2017 4 0
2018 1 0
2019 5 2
2020 2 1
Total 30 5
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zungu goal.[11]
List of international goals scored by Bongani Zungu
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 November 2013 Somhlolo National Stadium, Lobamba, Swaziland  Swaziland 1–0 3–0 Friendly
2 29 March 2015 Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa  Nigeria 1–1 1–1 Friendly
3 28 June 2019 Al Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt  Namibia 1–0 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
4 10 July 2019 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt  Nigeria 1–1 1–2 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
5 13 November 2020 Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa  São Tomé and Príncipe 2–0 2-0 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Mamelodi Sundowns

Rangers

References

  1. ^ "University of Pretoria coach Steve Barker says the new signings have replaced Aubrey Ngoma, Bongani Zungu and Mame Niang – News". Kick Off. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  2. ^ Mabasa, Tiyani (3 February 2016). "Zungu's injury 'a blessing'". The Sowetan. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.((cite news)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ van Nelson, Rouel (5 May 2016). "How Mamelodi Sundowns won the Absa Premiership". Goal South Africa. Retrieved 5 May 2016.((cite news)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Official: Bongani Zungu to join Vitoria de Guimaraes next season". Kick Off. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Bongani Zungu joins Rangers from Amiens on loan with option for permanent move. He will help the club to win their 55th league title. The most successful club in the world. 🔴⚪️🔵". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b Lindsay, Matthew (20 February 2021). "Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu set to depart Ibrox this summer following Covid-19 lockdown breach". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Shabba, Nomandela secure win for Bafana". IOL. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Comfortable win for Bafana over Swaziland". Kick Off. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Mamelodi Sundowns Midfielder Bongani Zungu Survives Hijacking". Soccer Laduma. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  10. ^ Bongani Zungu at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Bongani Zungu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Rangers top-flight champions for first time since 2011 after Celtic drop points". BBC Sport. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.

External links

Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. โ€“ current squad
South Africa squad โ€“ 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
South Africa squad โ€“ 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
Categories