Divine Lunga
| Divine Lunga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 28 May 1995 Bulawayo |
Divine Lunga is a Zimbabwean football player who has featured in the country's national team. Lunga is based in South Africa where he plays for DStv Premiership club Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
In June 2019, Lunga was part of the Zimbabwe Afcon 2019 Squad in Egypt. He was credited for successfully defending against Liverpool Star Mohammed Salah, who played on the Egypt side.
Career
Lunga began playing football at the age of 9, joining Ajax Hotspurs of Mpopoma before moving Chicken Inn Football Club in 2012 where he played for the club's Under-18 and B teams.[1]
In 2015, Lunga was promoted to the Chicken Inn senior squad where he helped the club win the Premier Soccer League that year and the Independence Trophy in 2016.
In 2018, Lunga joined the South African club Lamontville Golden Arrows from Chicken Inn.[2]
Lunga joined Mamelodi Sundowns in July 2021 before he rejoined Golden Arrows on a season-long loan deal a year later.
In August 2022, Lunga rejoined Golden Arrows on a season-long loan deal from Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the 2022/23 season.[3]
National Team Caps
Lunga made his Warriors debut on 21 June 2015 in a 2-0 victory over Comoros during the 2016 African Nations Championship qualification and has featured in 18 matches to date.[4]
He was included in Zimbabwe's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad playing in their matches against Egypt and Uganda.[5]
Accident
On 27 February 2021, Lunga was involved in a car accident in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A source told the publication that Lunga survived the accident and came out of the vehicle unharmed, although the car was said to be in a bad condition.[6] For more details See: Divine Lunga Accident
Controversy
Lunga allegedly snubbed a Warriors call-up for two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia in 2021.[7]
The then Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic told the media that he had shut the door on players who had snubbed call-ups, with Lunga reported being one of the affected players.
Logarusic was forced to call up Onesmor Bhasera as a last-minute replacement for Lunga.
Speaking after the win against Botswana that secured Zimbabwe's qualification for the 2021 AFCON finals, Logarusic said:
What I am looking for in a player is character, commitment and then talent. If a player thinks that he can pick and choose games that he wants to play, no, he will not.
We have players like Knowledge Musona and Victor Kamhuka, who travelled thousands of miles to come for national duty, but some players in South Africa refused to come because they don't have the country at heart.
Also, we have some players who are in Europe who ignored our calls when we needed them, but now that we have qualified, they are calling me. I have blocked them.
I don't do like other coaches who just look at how good a player is. For me, I consider a player's character first, the personality, that is, if you love your country and then the rest. If you don't love your country why should I select you?
It, however, later emerged that Lunga and his team-mate at Golden Arrows, Knox Mutizwa, had been dropped due to fitness issues.[8]
Clubs
- Chicken Inn (2015–2018)
- Golden Arrows (2018–2021)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (2021–)
References
- ↑ I thought my career was over — Lunga, Published: 01 April 2018, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ Golden Arrows sign Divine Lunga, Published: 27 July 2018, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ , Virjo Mufaro, Divine Lunga leaves Mamelodi Sundowns on loan transfer, Published: 02 August 2022, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ , Divine Lunga, Published: Date not given, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ , Zimbabwe name final squad, Published: 10 June 2019, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ Breaking: PSL Star Involved In Car Accident, Soccer Laduma, Published: February 27, 2021, Retrieved: February 27, 2021
- ↑ , Loga slams door on Devine Lunga, Published: 29 March 2021, Retrieved 4 August 2022
- ↑ , Virjo Mufaro,Reason behind Divine Lunga’s omission in Warriors squad, Published: 22 March 2021, Retrieved 4 August 2022
