 Nkufo playing forSwitzerland in 2007 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Isetsima Blaise Nkufo[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1975-05-25)25 May 1975 (age 50) | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa,Zaire | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | 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 25 May 1975) is a Swiss former internationalfootballer who played as astriker and current coach of Rino's Tigers in theVancouver Metro Soccer League.[2]
He was born in Zaire and raised in Switzerland from the age of seven. Nkufo played professionally in Switzerland, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, scoring 209 goals in 442 career league appearances. Nkufo was also a member of theSwitzerland national team, having won 34 caps and scored seven goals. He played for them at the2010 World Cup.
Nkufo played forLausanne Sport,FC Echallens,Al-Arabi,Yverdon-Sport FC,Grasshopper Club Zürich,AC Lugano,FC Lucerne,Mainz 05,Hannover 96,FC Twente andSeattle Sounders FC.[1]
In early 2010, Nkufo left Twente[3] and was linked to sign with theMajor League Soccer teamSeattle Sounders FC.[4] On 4 March 2010, the Sounders confirmed that they had signed Nkufo and that he would be joining the Sounders' squad on 13 July 2010 when his contract with Twente expired.[5] In his final season with Twente, Nkufo scored 12Eredivisie goals helping the club to their first league title in their 45-year history.[6] Nkufo made 223Eredivisie appearances for Twente, and scored 114 goals - a club record. Twente erected a statue in his honour outside of the stadium following his departure.[7]
His first appearance for the Sounders was on 18 July 2010 during a friendly vs.Celtic.[8] Nkufo was the first Sounders player to record ahat-trick in league play, doing so against theColumbus Crew on 18 September 2010. It ended a scoreless drought of 415 minutes for him after joining the club.[9] On 5 October 2010, Nkufo featured in the final of theU.S. Open Cup as the Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew by a score of 2–1.[10] On 15 March 2011, Seattle and Nkufo agreed mutually to the termination of his deal.[11] Nkufo announced his retirement thirteen days later.[12]
Nkufo made his international debut forSwitzerland in 2000.[1] He was a squad member at the2010 World Cup in South Africa.[13] At the tournament, Nkufo played an influential role in helping the Swiss upset eventual world championsSpain in the group stage.[7][14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Luzern | 2000–01 | Swiss Nationalliga A | 19 | 7 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 20 | 9 | ||
| 1. FSV Mainz 05 | 2000–01 | 2. Bundesliga | 14 | 6 | — | — | — | 14 | 6 | |||
| 2001–02 | 2. Bundesliga | 28 | 14 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 31 | 15 | |||
| Total | 42 | 20 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 45 | 21 | ||||
| Hannover 96 | 2002–03 | Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||
| FC Twente | 2003–04 | Eredivisie | 28 | 14 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 31 | 16 | ||
| 2004–05 | Eredivisie | 32 | 16 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 34 | 19 | |||
| 2005–06 | Eredivisie | 32 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[b] | 3 | 39 | 15 | ||
| 2006–07 | Eredivisie | 34 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 40 | 22 | |
| 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 34 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 4[b] | 3 | 41 | 25 | |
| 2008–09 | Eredivisie | 31 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6[d] | 1 | — | 43 | 21 | ||
| 2009–10 | Eredivisie | 32 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 11[e] | 2 | — | 45 | 16 | ||
| Total | 223 | 114 | 15 | 11 | 23 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 273 | 134 | ||
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2010 | MLS | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 2[g] | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| Career total | 304 | 146 | 22 | 16 | 25 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 365 | 171 | ||
| 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 |
Nkufo owned the Nkufo Academy Sports in the Greater Vancouver area, is managing director of the Blaise Soccer Elite Training INC,[18] and works as Head coach of Rino's Tigers in theVancouver Metro Soccer League Premier Division.[19]
Born inKinshasa,Zaire, Nkufo emigrated to Switzerland with his family when he was seven and becamenaturalised as a Swiss citizen.[20]
Nkufo is married to a woman fromVancouver,British Columbia.[7]
Nkufo has himself said in interviews that his surname isNkufo. The incorrect versionN'Kufo is often found in media. The surname is pronouncedKufo, without theN.[20]
Twente
Seattle Sounders FC
