Clifford Mulenga Explained

Clifford Mulenga
Fullname:Clifford Mulenga[1]
Birth Date:5 August 1987
Birth Place:Kabompo, Zambia
Height:1.69 m
Currentclub:Forest Rangers F.C.
Position:Left winger
Youthclubs1:Chiparamba Great Eagles
Years1:2004–2008
Clubs1:University of Pretoria F.C.
Caps1:57
Goals1:9
Years2:2005
Clubs2:Örgryte IS (loan)
Caps2:11
Goals2:0
Years3:2008–2009
Clubs3:Bidvest Wits
Caps3:11
Goals3:1
Years4:2009
Clubs4:Thanda Royal Zulu (loan)
Caps4:11
Goals4:4
Years5:2009–2010
Clubs5:Mpumalanga Black Aces
Caps5:22
Goals5:7
Years6:2010–2012
Clubs6:Bloemfontein Celtic
Caps6:43
Goals6:7
Years7:2012–2013
Clubs7:SuperSport United
Caps7:12
Goals7:2
Years8:2013–2014
Clubs8:Mpumalanga Black Aces
Caps8:15
Goals8:1
Years9:2014–2015
Clubs9:Ajax Cape Town
Caps9:10
Goals9:0
Years10:2015
Clubs10:ZESCO United
Years11:2015–2016
Clubs11:Moroka Swallows
Caps11:7
Goals11:2
Years12:2016–2017
Clubs12:Mbombela United
Caps12:22
Goals12:12
Years13:2017–2018
Clubs13:Jomo Cosmos
Caps13:17
Goals13:5
Years14:2020-
Clubs14:Forest Rangers F.C.
Nationalyears1:2005–2012
Nationalteam1:Zambia
Nationalcaps1:28
Nationalgoals1:4
Club-Update:08:46, 19 August 2020 (UTC)

Clifford Mulenga (born 5 August 1987) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Forest Rangers F.C.[2]

Career

Mulenga was born in Kabompo, Zambia.

was part of the Zambian 2006 African Nations Cup team who finished third in group C in the first round of competition, thus failing to secure qualification for the quarter-finals.[3]

Mulenga is known to be a quick and creative winger whose qualities have been praised as rare and akin to Zambian great Kalusha Bwalya. When playing for the Zambian U-20s he caught the eye of several European clubs most notably Spanish giants Real Madrid and PSV Eindhoven. His silky skills were demonstrated especially against the Nigerian U-20s at the African Youth Championships when his team lost in the semi-finals, a game which saw him give a man of the match performance only to be blighted by receiving a red card as a result of a petulant altercation with one of his opponents. Prior to the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations a dispute arose as to which club Mulenga belonged to University of Pretoria F.C. claimed he was on their books however he caused controversy with the Zambian press when the nation's football authority FAZ, announced he was to join Israeli side Maccabi Petah Tikva from Örgryte IS the Swedish side which acquired him on loan from the University of Pretoria.

On 2 February 2008, Mulenga was named The 2007 Glo-CAF Young Player of the Year beating off competition from Congo Brazzaville's Franchel Ibara and Nigeria's Oseni Gani both of whom have been touted as future African stars.[4]

The deal with Maccabi Petach Tikva fell through and he signed for Premier Soccer league team Bidvest Wits. In July 2009 he was trial by Maccabi Petach Tikva again but the club decided to not sign him.[3] He consequently signed for the Mpumalanga Black Aces.

He has also played for Bloemfontein Celtic and SuperSport United.

Mulenga returned Mpumalanga Black Aces in September 2013 on a three-year contract.[5] In August 2014, he signs a contract with Ajax Cape Town for one season.[6]

Career statistics

Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first.[2]

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 1 June 2005 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2. 25 May 2008 Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran 1–2 2–3 Friendly
3. 17 January 2010 Estádio Nacional da Tundavala, Lubango, Angola 1–0 2–3 2010 Africa Cup of Nations
4. 9 February 2011 Mavuso Sports Centre, Manzini, Swaziland 4–0 4–0 Friendly

Honours

Zambia

2012

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players . FIFA . 24 . 5 July 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000046/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf . 31 December 2013.
  2. Web site: Mulenga, Clifford. National Football Teams. 21 June 2018.
  3. Web site: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Clifford Mulenga Youth Village Zambia. 2021-05-20. en-GB.
  4. Web site: Clifford Mulenga. 2021-05-20. frontend.
  5. Web site: Mulenga on why he joined Aces. October 2013. KickOff. 1 October 2013.
  6. News: Zambia : Clifford Mulenga joins Ajax Cape Town. 8 August 2014. LusakaTimes.com. 27 March 2018. en-GB.