Blaise Nkufo

Blaise Nkufo
Personal information
Full name	Blaise Isetsima Nkufo
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Seattle Sounders FC
Number	9
Senior career*
Years	Team
1993–1994	Lausanne-Sport
1994–1995	Echallens
1995–1996	Al-Arabi
1996–1997	Yverdon-Sport
1997–1998	Lausanne
1998–2000	Grasshopper
1999–2000	→ Lugano (loan)
2000–2001	Lucerne
2001–2002	Mainz 05
2002–2003	Hannover 96
2003–2010	FC Twente
2010–	Seattle Sounders FC
International career‡
2002–	Switzerland
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 20, 2010; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 20, 2010

Blaise Isetsima Nkufo (born 25 May 1975) is a Swiss international footballer who lastly played for FC Twente. He is scheduled to join Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is of Congolese origin.^[1] Nkufo's professional career has seen him play in Switzerland, Qatar, Germany and the Netherlands.

Career

Club career

Nkufo began his professional career in 1993 with Lausanne Sports, where he spent one season. He later played with FC Echallens before moving to Qatar to play with Al-Arabi. After a year in the Gulf he moved back to Switzerland, and played with Yverdon-Sport FC; he also re-signed for Lausanne Sports before moving to Grasshopper in 1998; his spell in Zürich included a loan spell with Lugano. He then played with FC Lucerne, before moving to Germany to play with 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Hannover 96. He signed for current club FC Twente in 2003. He has been their leading scorer in all six seasons since.

In February 2010, Nkufo was linked to sign with Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC.^[2] On March 4, 2010, Seattle Sounders FC confirmed that they had signed him. He will join the Sounders squad after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.^[3]

International career

Nkufo made his international debut for Switzerland in 2002, and since the beginning of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, he has scored in all 6 matches for Switzerland. He has never received a yellow or red card while playing for them ^[4].

Name confusion

The player has himself said in interviews that his surname is Nkufo. The incorrect version N'Kufo is often found in media. The surname is pronounced Kufo, without the N.^[5] However, on the back of his shirt, he has been known variously as Nkufo, N'Kufo and Nkufu.

Statistics

Season	Club	Country	Competition	Matches	Goals
1993–94	FC Lausanne-Sport	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	2	0
1994–95	FC Echallens	Switzerland	Nationalliga B	16	9
1995–96	Al Arabi	Qatar	Qatari League	12	6
1996–97	Yverdon-Sport FC	Switzerland	Nationalliga B	35	12
1997–98	FC Lausanne-Sport	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	34	18
1998–99	Grasshopper CZ	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	13	2
1998–99	FC Lugano	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	11	10
1999–00	FC Lugano	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	10	4
1999–00	Grasshopper CZ	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	5	2
2000–01	FC Luzern	Switzerland	Nationalliga A	19	7
2000–01	1. FSV Mainz 05	Germany	2. Bundesliga	14	6
2001–02	1. FSV Mainz 05	Germany	2. Bundesliga	28	14
2002–03	Hannover 96	Germany	Bundesliga	9	0
2003–04	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	28	14
2004–05	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	32	16
2005–06	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	32	12
2006–07	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	34	22
2007–08	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	34	22
2008–09	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	31	16
2009/10	FC Twente	Netherlands	Eredivisie	31	12
2010	Seattle Sounders FC	United States	Major League Soccer
Total				429	204