Robert Kidiaba
Kidiaba with TP Mazembe in 2011
Personal information
Full name Robert Kidiaba Muteba[1]
Date of birth (1976-02-01) 1 February 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Lubumbashi, Zaire
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001 AS Saint-Luc
2002–2016 TP Mazembe 681 (0)
International career
2002–2015 DR Congo 61 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Kidiaba Muteba (born 1 February 1976) is a Congolese politician and former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He spent most of his club career with TP Mazembe, whilst at international level he collected 61 caps playing for the DR Congo national team.

Club career

Born in Lubumbashi,[1] Kidiaba played club football for AS Saint-Luc and TP Mazembe.[2] With TP Mazembe he played at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup and 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, making a total of five appearances in the tournament across both years.[3] In 2010 he reached the final with Mazembe, who became the first club outside South America and Europe to reach a Club World Cup final.[4]

International career

Kidiaba made his international debut for the DR Congo national team in 2002,[2] and has appeared for them in 11 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.[3] In December 2014 he announced he would retire from international duty after the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations,[5] in January 2015 he was named in the 23-man squad for the tournament,[6] and in February 2015 he indicated that he might not retire after the tournament.[7]

Political career

In May 2015 it was announced that Kidiaba and teammate Jean Kasusula would stand for the National Party for Democracy and Development at forthcoming elections.[8]

He was elected a Member of Parliament for Upper Katanga Province in January 2019.[9]

Personal life

Kidiaba works as an ambassador for the Peace One Day charity.[10]

He is married and has three children.[1]

He is "famed for the 'bum shuffle' goal celebration" which consists of "bouncing around his penalty area on his backside."[5] The move is a fan favourite.[11]

Honours

DR Congo

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Profile". TP Mazembe. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Robert Kidiaba". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20121107100945/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=214252/
  4. ^ "Mazembe donkey dance into history | 10 great Club World Cup moments". FIFA. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b Oluwashina Okeleji (6 December 2014). "Kidiaba to end DR Congo career after 2015 Nations Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  6. ^ "2015 Nations Cup: Yannick Bolasie in DR Congo squad". BBC Sport. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  7. ^ Piers Edwards (4 February 2015). "Afcon 2015: Robert Kidiaba says he may continue for DR Congo". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  8. ^ Kennedy Gondwe (26 May 2015). "Mazembe's Robert Kidiaba and Jean Kasusula turn to politics". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Ex-TP Mazembe goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba elected Member of Parliament in Congo | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
  10. ^ Kennedy Gondwe (11 April 2014). "Kidiaba to focus on DR Congo unity". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Robert Kidiaba's 'bouncing bottom' enthrals football fans". BBC News. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  12. ^ "2015 Nations Cup: Yannick Bolasie in DR Congo squad". 9 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2020.


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