Bongani Zungu
South African soccer player (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bongani Zungu (born 9 October 1992) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Amazulu and the South Africa national team.
|
Zungu with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 October 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Duduza, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Amazulu | ||
| Number | 34 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2012 | Dynamos | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | University of Pretoria | 25 | (7) |
| 2013–2016 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 58 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Vitória Guimarães | 19 | (1) |
| 2017–2022 | Amiens | 67 | (2) |
| 2020–2021 | → Rangers (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 23 | (1) |
| 2024– | AmaZulu | 20 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013–2021 | South Africa | 30 | (5) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 January 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 08:11, 08 February 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Having joined the University of Pretoria from Dynamos at the start of the 2012–13 season, Zungu helped AmaTuks to a top eight finish in the club's debut campaign in the PSL. At the end of the season it was announced that Zungu would be joining Mamelodi Sundowns in a swap deal, with Buhle Mkhwanazi and Siyabonga Ngubane joining University of Pretoria.[1]
Zungu suffered a hairline fracture of the shin in a 3–2 win over Maritzburg United, ruling him out for up to twelve weeks.[2] Despite missing most of the second half of the 2015–16 season, Zungu had the perfect send off from Sundowns with the club lifting the PSL title in May 2016.[3]
On 20 January 2016, Zungu's agent Steve Kapeluschnik confirmed that he would be joining Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.[4] After a season in Portugal, Zungu moved to French club Amiens.
Zungu signed for Scottish club Rangers on loan from Amiens in October 2020.[5] Rangers secured an option to sign him permanently for a £2.7 million transfer fee.[6] In February 2021 he was one of five Rangers players fined by Scottish police "for attending an illegal gathering of 10 people in a flat" in breach of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[6]
Zungu rejoined the Mamelodi Sundowns in August 2022 before leaving the team in June 2024.[7]
International career
Zungu made his debut for South Africa in a 2–0 win against Burkina Faso on 17 August 2013.[9] He scored his first international goal against Swaziland on 15 November 2013, with South Africa winning 3–0.[10]
Personal life
In July 2014 Zungu was a victim of a hi-jacking when a group of armed men made off with his car outside his home in Duduza.[11]
He and his partner Cindy Mahlangu had their first child in 2022.[12][13]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 1 July 2022[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| University of Pretoria | 2012–13 | Premier Division | 25 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 | |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 2013–14 | Premier Division | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| 2014–15 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| Total | 58 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 75 | 3 | ||
| Vitória Guimarães | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 16 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Total | 19 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 | ||
| Amiens | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 21 | 1[15] | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 2 | ||||
| 2020–21 | Ligue 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 67 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 3 | ||
| Rangers (on loan) | 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Career total | 183 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 225 | 16 | ||
International
- As of matches played on 23 February 2021[16]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 2013 | 6 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 30 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zungu goal.[16]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 November 2013 | Somhlolo National Stadium, Lobamba, Swaziland |  Swaziland | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 29 March 2015 | Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, South Africa |  Nigeria | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 28 June 2019 | Al Salam Stadium, Cairo, Egypt |  Namibia | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 4 | 10 July 2019 | Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | Nigeria | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 5 | 13 November 2020 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  São Tomé and Príncipe | 2–0 | 2-0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Honours
Mamelodi Sundowns
- PSL: 2013–14; 2015–16
- Nedbank Cup: 2014–15
- Telkom Knockout: 2015–16
- African Football League : 2022
Rangers