Lebogang Morula Explained

Lebogang Morula
Fullname:Lebogang Ghiba Morula
Birth Date:18 December 1966
Birth Place:Brits, North West, South Africa
Height:1.78m (05.84feet)[1]
Position:Midfielder, forward
Years1:1991–1995
Years2:1995
Caps2:1
Goals2:0
Years3:1996
Goals3:1+[2]
Years4:1997
Years5:1997–1998
Caps5:16
Goals5:1
Years6:1998–2001
Nationalyears1:1998
Nationalteam1:South Africa
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0

Lebogang Ghiba Morula[3] (sometimes spelt Lebohang) (born 22 December 1968 in Brits, North West) is a retired South African football player.

Club career

Morula started his career at Jomo Cosmos in South Africa and moved in 1995 to Colombian club Once Caldas with fellow South African footballer Teboho Moloi in a "pay as you play" contract.[4] He made his debut against Deportes Quindío becoming the first African player to appear in the Categoría Primera A. However, he disliked the contract based on appearances and left the club after playing only 20 minutes.[5]

In 1996, he was brought to Peru by former South Africa manager Augusto Palacios to play for Aurich–Cañaña,[6] [7] ending the season relegated from the 1996 Torneo Descentralizado.

In 1997, Morula returned to Jomo Cosmos, scoring once in the Rothmans Cup against AmaZulu.[8] He joined Turkish club Vanspor in December,[9] playing 16 Süper Lig matches and scoring once against Kocaelispor, but couldn't avoid ending at the bottom at the table and left the club after the end of the season. He returned to Jomo Cosmos as a player-assistant[10] before ending his career in 2001.

International career

Morula acquired Peruvian citizenship by the time he played at Juan Aurich, but opted to play for the South Africa national football team.[11] He appeared once in a friendly match against Iceland[1] [12] and was a member of the squad that travelled to France for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[13]

Personal life

His son Karol Josep Lebogang Bernal was born in Peru and is a right-back,[14] having trained with the Peru national under-20 football team.[15] [16]

Morula was arrested for many crimes such as hijacking,[17] stealing cars[18] generators and electronic goods,[19] ATM robbery,[20] and armed robbery.[21] He was also convicted of malicious damage to property back in 1986 and theft in 2004.[22]

He also faced controversy in his second marriage in 2014 when his bride's mother and two of his sons attempted to stop the wedding stating he was still married to his legal wife, who was on her deathbed. It was also stated that his new wife had a boyfriend and that he struck Morula with a buttstock later in the same night.[23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lebogang Morula. footballdatabase.eu. 22 March 2018.
  2. Web site: Sangre Africana en El Norte. Retrobolas. 5 May 2012. retrobolas.blogspot.com.br. 22 March 2018.
  3. Web site: Ex-Bafana player linked to hijacking. sowetanlive.co.za. 22 March 2018.
  4. Web site: Hoy Debuta Morula. El Tiempo. 19 November 1995. 22 March 2018.
  5. Web site: Buscar noticias y contenidos en GOL Caracol. golcaracol.com. 22 March 2018.
  6. Web site: De Chalaca. Made in Africa. Spanish. 2012-02-29. 2016-02-12.
  7. Web site: juanaurich-elciclondelnorte: El hijo de Morula. El. Aurichista. 3 February 2016. juanaurich-elciclondelnorte.blogspot.com.br. 22 March 2018.
  8. Web site: South Africa 1997/98. RSSSF. 22 March 2018.
  9. Web site: TFF. Lebogang William Morula. 2009-08-21.
  10. http://www.iol.co.za/sport/cosmos-lose-out-to-stars-as-quieroz-looks-on-1.346729
  11. Web site: Citypress Sunday 21 June 1998 p. 11 . m24arg02.naspers.com . 13 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160216000913/http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/citypress/1998/06/21/11/2.html . 16 February 2016 . dead.
  12. Web site: International Matches 1998 - Intercontinental. RSSSF. 22 March 2018.
  13. https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=1013/teams/team=43883.html 1998 FIFA World Cup - South Africa Squad
  14. https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/sa-players-abroad/karol-lebogang-son-of-ex-bafana-midfielder-lebo-morula-joins-juan-aurich-20200925
  15. Web site: Selección Peruana: Hijo de mundialista sudafricano podría jugar por Perú. Redacción. Depor. 4 February 2016. depor.pe. 22 March 2018.
  16. Web site: Scouting: Karol Lebogang. 27 November 2015. diariodeunscout.com. 22 March 2018.
  17. Web site: Former Jomo Cosmos player Lebohang Morula arrested for hijacking. www.realnet.co.uk. kickoff.com. 11 October 2011. 22 March 2018.
  18. Web site: Ex-Bafana Bafana soccer star now a house robber, gets arrested during honeymoon - South Africa Latest News . 12 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160216130059/http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/sports/434-ex-bafana-bafana-soccer-star-now-a-house-robber-gets-arrested-during-honeymoon.html . 16 February 2016 . dead .
  19. Web site: Drama as Zimbabweans beat up 2 South African Policemen for being too corrupt. 11 January 2015. southafricalatestnews.co.za. 22 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20161026191735/http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/news/1344-name-of-ex-bafana-bafana-and-jomo-cosmos-player-who-s-been-arrested-for-robbery-hijacking-revealed.html. 26 October 2016. dead.
  20. Web site: Former Bafana star nabbed by Hawks - IOL News. iol.co.za. 22 March 2018.
  21. Web site: SowetanLIVE. www.sowetanlive.co.za. 22 March 2018.
  22. http://www.ann7.com/article/31997-1105201511052015-morula-back-in-court-for-bail-application.html#.Vr3XFPkrKM8
  23. Web site: Former footballer arrested soon after wedding :: NewsBite. eDuzeNet. newsbite.it. 22 March 2018.