- Clifford Mulenga
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Clifford Mulenga Personal information Full name Clifford Mulenga Date of birth August 5, 1987 Place of birth Kabompo, Zambia Height 1.69 m (5 ft 6 1⁄2 in) Playing position Winger Club information Current club Bloemfontein Celtic Number 10 Youth career Chiparamba Great Eagles Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2004–2008 Pretoria University FC 57 (9) 2005 → Örgryte IS (loan) 7 (0) 2008–2009 Bidvest Wits 11 (1) 2009 → Thanda Royal Zulu (loan) 4 (5) 2009–2010 Mpumalanga Black Aces 22 (7) 2011– Bloemfontein Celtic 28 (4) National team 2005– Zambia 20 (2) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Clifford Mulenga (born August 5, 1987 in Kabompo) is a Zambian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bloemfontein Celtic F.C. in the South African Premier Soccer League.
Career
Mulenga 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.
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 Pretoria University FC 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 Petach Tikva FC from Orgryte IS the Swedish side which acquired him on loan from his university in Pretoria.
The deal with Maccabi Petach Tikva FC fell through and he signed for Premier soccer league team Bidvest Wits. In July 2009 he was trial by Maccabi Petach Tikva FC again but the club decided to not sign him. He consequently signed for the Mpumalanga Black Aces and has earned the nickname 'Master'. He is currently playing for Bloemfontein Celtic.
Clifford is no relation to Jacob Mulenga who plays for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Honours
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.
External links
- Career history at National Football Teams
Awards Preceded by
Taye TaiwoCAF Young Player of the Year
2007Succeeded by
Salomon KalouZambia squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Mweene • 2 Phiri • 3 Nketani • 4 Musonda • 5 Tana • 6 Sinyangwe • 7 C. Mulenga • 8 Chansa • 9 Mbesuma • 10 Bakala • 11 C. Katongo • 12 Milanzi • 13 Lungu • 14 Numba • 15 Chalwe • 16 Kolala • 17 Sinkala • 18 Mwanza • 19 Hachilensa • 20 F. Katongo • 21 Kalaba • 22 Chamanga • 23 Njovu • Coach: BwalyaZambia squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Poto • 2 J. Mulenga • 3 Nketani • 4 Musonda • 5 Himoonde • 6 Kasonde • 7 C. Mulenga • 8 Chansa • 9 Sunzu • 10 Bakala • 11 C. Katongo • 12 D. Phiri • 13 Chinyama • 14 Mayuka • 15 Chintu • 16 Mweene • 17 Kalaba • 18 Mwanza • 19 Hachilensa • 20 F. Katongo • 21 Chamanga • 22 Kakonje • 23 Njovu • Coach: P. PhiriZambia squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Kakonje • 2 Kasonde • 3 D. Banda • 4 Musonda • 5 Himoonde • 6 Mbola • 7 J. Mulenga • 8 Chansa • 9 Mbesuma • 10 F. Katongo • 11 C. Katongo • 12 Chamanga • 13 Sunzu • 14 Chivuta • 15 Kampamba • 16 Mweene • 17 Kalaba • 18 Singuluma • 19 Nyrienda • 20 Njovu • 21 Mayuka • 22 J. Banda • 23 C. Mulenga • Coach: RenardCategories:- 1987 births
- Living people
- Expatriate association footballers in South Africa
- Expatriate footballers in Sweden
- Association football midfielders
- Zambia international footballers
- 2008 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2010 Africa Cup of Nations players
- Zambian expatriate footballers
- Zambian expatriates in South Africa
- Zambian footballers
- Thanda Royal Zulu F.C. players
- Wits University FC players
- Tuks FC players
- Zambian expatriates in Sweden
- Örgryte IS players
- Bloemfontein Celtic players
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