Shiva N'Zigou

Shiva N'Zigou (born 24 October 1978) is a Gabonese former professional footballer who played as a striker.

International career

For eighteen years, N'Zigou was believed to be the youngest player to both play and score at the Africa Cup of Nations; at the age of 16 years and 93 days, he scored in Gabon's 3–1 loss to South Africa at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. However, he admitted in 2018 that he lied about his age and that he is five years older than initially thought.

International goals

Scores and results list Gabon's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	23 January 2000	Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = South Africa	flag alias = Flag of South Africa.svg	flag alias-1795 = Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800).svg	flag alias-1801 = Flag of the United Kingdom.svg	flag alias-1857 = Flag of Transvaal.svg	flag alias-1875 = Flag of the Natal Colony (1875–1910).svg	flag alias-1876 = Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg	flag alias-1902 = Flag of Orange River Colony.svg	flag alias-1910 = South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg	flag alias-1912 = Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg	flag alias-1928 = Flag of South Africa (1928–1982).svg	flag alias-1982 = Flag of South Africa (1982–1994).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of South Africa.svg	flag alias-naval-1922 = Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg	flag alias-naval-1946 = Naval Ensign of South Africa (1946-1951).svg	flag alias-naval-1951 = Naval Ensign of South Africa (1951-1952).svg	flag alias-naval-1952 = Naval Ensign of South Africa (1952-1981).svg	flag alias-naval-1981 = Naval Ensign of South Africa (1981-1994).svg	flag alias-marines=Naval Ensign of South Africa.svg	link alias-marines=South African Maritime Reaction Squadron	link alias-naval = South African Navy	flag alias-air force = Ensign of the South African Air Force.svg	flag alias-air force-1940 = Ensign of the South African Air Force 1940-1951.svg	flag alias-air force-1951 = Ensign of the South African Air Force 1951-1958.svg	flag alias-air force-1958 = Ensign of the South African Air Force (1958-1967, 1970-1981).svg	flag alias-air force-1967 = Ensign of the South African Air Force 1967-1970.svg	flag alias-air force-1981 = Ensign of the South African Air Force 1981-1982.svg	flag alias-air force-1982 = Ensign of the South African Air Force (1982-1994).svg	flag alias-air force-1994 = Ensign of the South African Air Force 1994-2003.svg	link alias-air force = South African Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the South African Army.svg	flag alias-army-1951 = Flag of the South African Army (1951–1966).png	flag alias-army-1966 = Flag of the South African Army (1966–1973).png	flag alias-army-1973 = Flag of the South African Army (1973–1994).svg	flag alias-army-1981 = Ensign of the South African Defence Force (1981-1994).svg	flag alias-army-1994 = Flag of the South African Army (1994–2002).svg	flag alias-army-2002 = Flag of the South African Army (2002–2003).svg	link alias-army = South African Army	flag alias-military = Flag of the South African National Defence Force.svg	link alias-military = South African National Defence Force	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of South Africa.svg	link alias-navy = South African Navy	link alias-football = South Africa national soccer team	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 1–3 || 2000 Africa Cup of Nations
2.	15 November 2003	Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Burundi	flag alias = Flag of Burundi.svg	flag alias-1962 = Flag of Burundi (1962–1966).svg	flag alias-1966 = Flag of Burundi (1966-1967).svg	flag alias-1967 = Flag of Burundi (1967–1982).svg	Burundi National Defence Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 4–1 || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	2 September 2006	Stade Omar Bongo, Libreville, Gabon	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Madagascar	flag alias = Flag of Madagascar.svg	flag alias-1896 = Flag of France.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center | 3–0 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| 4–0 || rowspan="2" | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4.				4–0
5.	21 August 2007	Stade Dominique Duvauchelle, Paris, France	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Benin	flag alias = Flag of Benin.svg	flag alias-1975 = Flag of Benin (1975-1990).svg	link alias-military = Benin Armed Forces	link alias-air force = Benin Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center | 1–0 || align=center | 2–2 || Friendly

Personal life

N'Zigou lost his mother in 2001 and his father in 2004. The deaths of his parents affected his mental health.

In a religious ceremony in 2018, N'Zigou confessed that he had lied about his age, and that he had been five years older than previously believed. He also revealed that while he was a minor, he had engaged in incestuous sexual activity with his aunt and sister, and admitted to having had homosexual relationships with two friends of his, including one that was a long-term relationship. In the same ceremony, N'Zigou explained that his mother had been "sacrificed" by his father. He stated: "My mother died due to my football, she was sacrificed, in fact. Because I signed a lot of contracts and that brought a lot of money to the family, it brought discords. And my father, to keep all the money for himself, decided to sacrifice my mother so that her spirit would be attached to me and that I would succeed even more in football."

External links

• Shiva Star N'Zigou - Footgoal.net