Ali Sungura
 | This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. (June 2019) |
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ali Sungura | ||
| Place of birth | Kenya | ||
| Position(s) | Wing/Midfield | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Feisal F.C. | |||
| International career | |||
| Kenya | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ali Sungura was a Kenyan footballer who played in midfield or as a winger for a number of clubs and for the Kenyan national team in the 1950s and 60s. He started his career at Feisal F.C. in Mombasa, Kenya and is mentioned as a significant player during the Golden era of 'Coast Football' within Kenya's early years as a country.[1][2] He was a talented player, mentioned in the autobiography of Joe Kadenge, his national teammate as one of only two players who could 'match to his skills'.[3]
Career
[edit]Club career
[edit]Ali Sungura was well known throughout Kenya as one of the greatest players of his era in many accounts of 50's Kenyan football. At Feisal F.C. he was described as a 'fleet-footed' winger and developed a strong partnership with fellow Kenyan national player Ali Kajo, who played in a more defensive midfield role, with the two players being affectionately named the 'Ali boys' by fans.[4]
International career
[edit]There are few records dating the exact appearances of Kenyan players for the national team, and many international matches were friendlies in the 1950s as this was prior to Kenya's independence in 1963. However, from personal accounts of Kenyan football at the time it is clear that he was a frequent player, having 'done Kenya proud' playing for the team.[5] He took part in the 1962 Ugandan Independence Tournament, scoring twice in a 3-3 draw with Isthmian League 'all-star' team from England.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kenya's finest footballers of all time". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ "Google Groups". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ "Joe Kadenge:The Life of a Football Legend | Contador Harrison". Archived from the original on 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ Souza, Hartman de. "As a Goan boy growing up in Kenya in the 1950s, I saw football change and history being made". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ Mambili, Joseph (2016-05-12). "#TBT: The day Uhuru's father got it all wrong about Harambee Stars". Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ "Uganda Independence Tournament 1962". RSSSF. Retrieved 2019-06-19.