View source for Blaise Nkufo

{{short description|Swiss footballer (born 1975)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name           = Blaise Nkufo
|image          = BlaiseNkufo.jpg
|image_size     =
|caption        = Nkufo playing for [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] in 2007
|fullname       = Isetsima Blaise Nkufo<ref name = "NFT"/>
|birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1975|5|25|df=y}}
|birth_place    = [[Kinshasa]], [[Zaire]]
|height         = 1.86 m<ref name = "NFT"/>
|position       = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]]
|years1         = 1993–1994
|clubs1         = [[FC Lausanne-Sport|Lausanne]]
|caps1          = 2
|goals1         = 0
|years2         = 1994–1995
|clubs2         = [[FC Echallens|Echallens]]
|caps2          = 16
|goals2         = 9
|years3         = 1995–1996
|clubs3         = [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]]
|caps3          = 12
|goals3         = 6
|years4         = 1996–1997
|clubs4         = [[Yverdon-Sport FC|Yverdon]]
|caps4          = 35
|goals4         = 12
|years5         = 1997–1998
|clubs5         = [[FC Lausanne-Sport|Lausanne]]
|caps5          = 34
|goals5         = 18
|years6         = 1998–2000
|clubs6         = [[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshopper]]
|caps6          = 18
|goals6         = 4
|years7         = 1999–2000
|clubs7         = → [[AC Lugano|Lugano]] (loan)
|caps7          = 21
|goals7         = 14
|years8         = 2000–2001
|clubs8         = [[FC Lucerne|Lucerne]]
|caps8          = 19
|goals8         = 7
|years9         = 2001–2002
|clubs9         = [[1. FSV Mainz 05|Mainz 05]]
|caps9          = 42
|goals9         = 20
|years10        = 2002–2003
|clubs10        = [[Hannover 96]]
|caps10         = 9
|goals10        = 0
|years11        = 2003–2010
|clubs11        = [[FC Twente|Twente]]
|caps11         = 223
|goals11        = 114
|years12        = 2010
|clubs12        = [[Seattle Sounders FC]]
|caps12         = 11
|goals12        = 5
|totalcaps      = 442
|totalgoals     = 209
|nationalyears1 = 2000–2010
|nationalteam1  = [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]
|nationalcaps1  = 34
|nationalgoals1 = 7
|manageryears1  = 2017-
|managerclubs1  = Rino's Tigers
}}

'''Isetsima Blaise Nkufo''' (born 25 May 1975) is a Swiss former international [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Striker (association football)|striker]] and current coach of Rino's Tigers in the [[Vancouver Metro Soccer League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vmslsoccer.com/upload/doc/2018%20VMSL%20All%20Cups%20Day%20Program.pdf |title=Rino'sTigers: Coach - Blaise Nkufo|website=VMSLsoccer.com|date=28 March 2011 |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

He was born in Zaire and raised in Switzerland from the age of seven. Nkufo played professionally in Switzerland, Qatar, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States, scoring 209 goals in 442 career league appearances. Nkufo was also a member of the [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland national team]], having won 34 caps and scored seven goals. He played for them at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]].

== Club career ==
Nkufo played for [[FC Lausanne-Sport|Lausanne Sport]], [[FC Echallens]], [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]], [[Yverdon-Sport FC]], [[Grasshopper Club Zürich]], [[AC Lugano]], [[FC Lucerne]], [[1. FSV Mainz 05|Mainz 05]], [[Hannover 96]], [[FC Twente]] and [[Seattle Sounders FC]].<ref name = "NFT">{{NFT player|pid=6413|accessdate=30 May 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Nkufo v Toronto2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Nkufo playing for [[Seattle Sounders FC]].]]

In early 2010, Nkufo left Twente<ref>[https://www.vice.com/nl/article/levenslessen-blaise-nkufo/ Dit zijn de levenslessen van Blaise Nkufo, Mister FC Twente] vice.com</ref> and was linked to sign with the [[Major League Soccer]] team [[Seattle Sounders FC]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2011079919_swiss_international_linked_to.html |title=Swiss international linked to Sounders FC and other notes |access-date=14 February 2010 |work=Seattle Times |first=Joshua |last=Mayers |date=14 February 2010}}</ref> On 4 March 2010, the Sounders confirmed that they had signed Nkufo and that he would be joining the Sounders' squad on 13 July 2010 when his contract with Twente expired.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2012284756_blaise_nkufo_to_join_the_sound.html |work=The Seattle Times |title=Blaise Nkufo to join the Sounders FC on July 13 (release) |first=Joshua |last=Mayers |date=5 July 2010 |access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> In his final season with Twente, Nkufo scored 12 [[2009–10 Eredivisie|Eredivisie]] goals helping the club to their first league title in their 45-year history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8657029.stm |title=Steve McClaren's Twente win Dutch league title |website=BBC Sport |date=2 May 2010 |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref> Nkufo made 223 [[Eredivisie]] appearances for Twente, and scored 114 goals - a club record. Twente erected a statue in his honour outside of the stadium following his departure.<ref name="SBNation">{{cite web |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2011/3/28/2332329/fc-twente-legend-blaise-nkufo-retires |title=FC Twente Legend Blaise Nkufo Retires |website=SB Nation |date=28 March 2011 |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

His first appearance for the Sounders was on 18 July 2010 during a friendly vs. [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2012391056_sounders19.html |work=The Seattle Times |title=Sounders FC falls 2-1 to Celtic FC in international friendly |first=Joshua |last=Mayers |date=18 July 2010 |access-date=7 July 2013}}</ref> Nkufo was the first Sounders player to record a [[hat-trick (association football)|hat-trick]] in league play, doing so against the [[Columbus Crew]] on 18 September 2010. It ended a scoreless drought of 415 minutes for him after joining the club.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayers |first=Joshua |date=18 September 2010 |title=Blaise Nkufo records a hat trick to lead Sounders FC over Columbus, 4-0 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/blaise-nkufo-records-a-hat-trick-to-lead-sounders-fc-over-columbus-4-0/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> On 5 October 2010, Nkufo featured in the final of the [[U.S. Open Cup]] as the Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew by a score of 2–1.<ref name="USOC">{{cite web |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/nyassi-sounders-top-crew-claim-another-usoc-crown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007151243/http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/nyassi-sounders-top-crew-claim-another-usoc-crown |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 October 2010 |title=Nyassi, Sounders top Crew, claim another USOC crown |website=MLSsoccer.com |date=5 October 2010 |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref> On 15 March 2011, Seattle and Nkufo agreed mutually to the termination of his deal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/sounders-cut-ties-swiss-forward-nkufo |title=Sounders cut ties with Swiss forward Nkufo |work=MLSsoccer.com |date=15 March 2011 |access-date=3 October 2012}}</ref> Nkufo announced his retirement thirteen days later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soundersfc.com/News/Articles/2011/03-March/Nkufo-Retires.aspx |title=Forward Nkufo Retires |work=SoundersFC.com |date=28 March 2011 |access-date=3 October 2012 |archive-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116113944/http://www.soundersfc.com/news/articles/2011/03-march/nkufo-retires.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== International career ==
Nkufo made his international debut for [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] in 2000.<ref name = "NFT"/> He was a squad member at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]] in South Africa.<ref>{{cite news |last=Liew |first=Jonathan |date=20 November 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/switzerland/6607581/Blaise-Nkufo-Switzerland-star-player-at-World-Cup-2010.html |title=Blaise Nkufo: Switzerland star player at World Cup 2010 |work=The Telegraph}}</ref> At the tournament, Nkufo played an influential role in helping the Swiss upset eventual world champions [[Spain national football team|Spain]] in the group stage.<ref name="SBNation" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jeremy |date=16 June 2010 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/news/7830225/Spain-0-Switzerland-1-match-report.html |title=Spain 0 Switzerland 1: match report |work=The Telegraph |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nkufo goal.''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/blaise-n-kufo/2472/ |title=B. Nkufo - National Team |website=Soccerway |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Blaise Nkufo
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 15 May 2002 || [[Espenmoos]], [[St. Gallen]], Switzerland || {{fb|CAN}} ||
| align="center"|1–3 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 11 September 2007 || [[Wörthersee Stadion]], [[Klagenfurt]], Austria || {{fb|JPN}} ||
| align="center"|3–4 || Friendly
|-
| align="center"|3 || 6 September 2008 || [[Ramat Gan National Stadium]], [[Tel Aviv]], Israel || {{fb|ISR}} ||
| align="center"|2–2 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 2|2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier]]
|-
| align="center"|4 || 10 September 2008 || [[Letzigrund]], [[Zürich]], Switzerland || {{fb|LUX}} ||
| align="center"|1–2 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier
|-
| align="center"|5 || 11 October 2008 || [[Kybunpark]], St. Gallen, Switzerland || {{fb|LAT}} ||
| align="center"|2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier
|-
| align="center"|6 || 15 October 2008 || [[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece || {{fb|GRE}} ||
| align="center"|2–1 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier
|-
| align="center"|7 || 1 April 2009 || [[Stade de Genève]], [[Geneva]], Switzerland || {{fb|MLD}} ||
| align="center"|2–0 || 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier
|}

== Coaching career ==
Nkufo owned the Nkufo Academy Sports in the Greater Vancouver area, is managing director of the Blaise Soccer Elite Training INC,<ref>{{cite news |last=Nkufo |first=Blaise |date=16 June 2010 |url=https://blaisesoccer.com/ |title=Blaise Soccer Elite Training|work=Blaise Soccer|access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref> and works as Head coach of Rino's Tigers in the [[Vancouver Metro Soccer League]] Premier Division.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Jeremy |date=16 June 2010 |url=https://rinosvancouver.com/staff/blaise-nkufo/ |title=Spain 0 Switzerland 1: match report |work=Rinos Vancouver|access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Born in [[Kinshasa]], [[Zaire]], Nkufo emigrated to Switzerland with his family when he was seven and became [[Swiss nationality law|naturalised]] as a Swiss citizen.<ref name="20min" />

Nkufo is married to a woman from [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]].<ref name="SBNation" />

== Name confusion ==
Nkufo 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''.<ref name="20min">{{cite web |url=http://www.20min.ch/sport/fussball/story/22931651 |title=Von N'Kufo über Nkufo bis Kufo |work=[[20 Minuten|20min.ch]] |date=21 August 2007 |access-date=16 June 2010 |language=de}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''Twente'''
* [[Eredivisie]]: [[2009–10 Eredivisie|2009–10]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/blaise-n-kufo/2472/ |title=B. Nkufo - Trophies |website=Soccerway |access-date=14 June 2020}}</ref>

'''Seattle Sounders FC'''
* [[U.S. Open Cup]]: [[2010 U.S. Open Cup Final|2010]]<ref name="USOC" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Switzerland squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nkufo, Blaise}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Swiss men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:FC Lausanne-Sport players]]
[[Category:Grasshopper Club Zurich players]]
[[Category:Yverdon-Sport FC players]]
[[Category:FC Lugano players]]
[[Category:FC Luzern players]]
[[Category:1. FSV Mainz 05 players]]
[[Category:Hannover 96 players]]
[[Category:FC Twente players]]
[[Category:Qatar Stars League players]]
[[Category:Swiss Super League players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:2. Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Eredivisie players]]
[[Category:Switzerland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Al-Arabi SC (Qatar) players]]
[[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo emigrants to Switzerland]]
[[Category:Swiss people of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Footballers from Kinshasa]]
[[Category:Seattle Sounders FC players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Designated Players (MLS)]]
[[Category:21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo sportsmen]]