Dino Ndlovu

Dino Ndlovu
	Ndlovu with Qarabağ in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Dino Ndlovu
Date of birth	15 February 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Klerksdorp, South Africa
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Sakaryaspor
Number	9
Youth career
	Dona Young Stars
	Motherwell FC (South Africa)
	OI Celtic
	Digagabi FC
	Platinum Stars
Senior career*
Years	Team
2009–2011	Mamelodi Sundowns
2010–2011	→ Bloemfontein Celtic (loan)
2011–2012	Bnei Yehuda
2012–2015	Maccabi Haifa
2014–2015	→ SuperSport United (loan)
2015	→ Mpumalanga Black Aces (loan)
2015–2016	Anorthosis Famagusta
2016–2018	Qarabağ
2018–2021	Zhejiang Greentown
2021–2022	Kocaelispor
2022	Changchun Yatai
2023	Boluspor
2023–	Sakaryaspor
International career‡
2009	South Africa U23
2012–	South Africa
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 September 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 October 2018

Dino Ndlovu (born 15 February 1990) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a forward for TFF First League club Sakaryaspor and the South Africa national football team.^[2]

Early life and career

Ndlovu hails from Jouberton near Klerksdorp.^[3] During his formative years, Ndlovu began playing soccer on the streets and when he was sixteen, he was afforded the opportunity to join an Academy of Excellence. He had to turn down the opportunity, however as it would have left his mother alone at home.^[4] He later traveled to Johannesburg where he slept in a train station bathroom for three days in order to attend soccer trials with Platinum Stars. He was offered a contract by the club and initially impressed in front of goal at youth level.^[4] His form dipped soon after, however, as the new source of income began to serve as a distraction and Platinum Stars elected not to renew his contract in 2011. At the time he was the breadwinner for his family, which included his pregnant wife.^[4]

Club career

Bnei Yehuda

Following his release from Platinum Stars, Ndlovu was advised by his agent to leave South Africa. He trialled with Israeli side Bnei Yehuda who signed after just two days.^[4]

Anorthosis Famagusta

Ndlovu joined Anorthosis Famagusta in the 2015 summer, passed to the crowds warm attention on a friendly Anorthosis preparation games. Accomplished 6 goals in preparation friendly games only friendlies.

Qarabağ

On 12 August 2016 FK Qarabağ announced they had signed Ndlovu to a two-year contract.^[5] During the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League campaign, Ndlovu scored an away goal against FC Copenhagen which helped Qarabağ qualify for the group stages of the tournament for the first time in the club's history^[4]

Boluspor

On 10 January 2023, Ndlovu joined TFF First League club Boluspor.^[6]

International career

He was recalled to the national team in October 2018.^[7] On 13 October, he was one of South Africa's goalscorers as the nation recorded its largest ever victory with a 6–0 win over Seychelles in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.^[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 7 April 2023^[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mamelodi Sundowns	2009–10	Premier Soccer League	0	0	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
	2010–11	Premier Soccer League	0	0	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bloemfontein Celtic (loan)	2010–11	Premier Soccer League	9	0	1	0	–		–		–		10	0
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv	2011–12	Israeli Premier League	33	8	1	1	0	0	–		–		34	9
	2012–13	Israeli Premier League	0	0	0	0	2	1	4	1	–		6	2
	Total		33	8	1	1	2	1	4	1	0	0	40	11
Maccabi Haifa	2012–13	Israeli Premier League	21	9	4	4	1	2	–		–		26	15
	2013–14		8	1	0	0	0	0	7	1	–		15	2
	2014–15		0	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
	Total		29	10	4	4	1	2	7	1	0	0	41	17
SuperSport United (loan)	2013–14	Premier Soccer League	14	2	1	0	0	0	–		–		15	2
	2014–15	Premier Soccer League	11	1	0	0	3	0	–		–		14	1
	Total		25	3	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	29	3
Mpumalanga Black Aces (loan)	2014–15	Premier Soccer League	8	1	2	1	–		–		–		10	2
Anorthosis Famagusta	2015–16	Cypriot First Division	32	17	3	1	–		–		–		35	18
Qarabağ	2016–17	Azerbaijan Premier League	23	10	4	4	–		7	1	–		34	15
	2017–18	Azerbaijan Premier League	13	5	0	0	–		9	4	–		20	8
	Total		36	15	4	4	0	0	15	5	0	0	53	21
Zhejiang Greentown	2018	China League One	24	19	0	0	–		–		–		24	19
	2019		27	17	0	0	–		–		–		27	17
	2020		14	5	0	0	–		–		2^[a]	1	16	6
	Total		65	41	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	67	41
Kocaelispor	2021–22	TFF First League	15	9	0	0	–		–		–		15	9
Changchun Yatai	2022	Chinese Super League	9	1	0	0	–		–		–		9	1
Boluspor	2022–23	TFF First League	10	4	0	0	–		–		–		10	4
Career total			270	109	16	11	6	3	26	7	2	1	320	131

^ Appearance(s) in CSL Relegation play-offs

International

South Africa
Year	Apps	Goals
2012	3	0
2013	0	0
2014	1	0
2015	0	0
2016	0	0
2017	1	0
2018	1	1
Total	6	1

Statistics accurate as of match played 13 October 2018^[10]

International goals

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first.^[10]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	13 October 2018	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa	Seychelles	5–0	6–0	2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

References

^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: South Africa" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.
^ "Dino Ndlovu unveiled by Kocaelispor". Kick Off. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
^ Kickoff Magazine May 2013 p. 32
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Kinsella, Nizaar (22 November 2017). "The Journey of Qarabag's Dino Ndlovu: From Sleeping in a Train Station toilet to Playing Chelsea". Goal. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
^ "Dino Nidlovu rəsmən". qarabagh.com (in Azerbaijani). FK Qarabağ. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
^ "官方：亚泰外援迪诺加盟土耳其第二级别球队博卢体育" (in Chinese). Dongqiudi. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
^ "South Africa turn to journeyman Ndlovu". BBC Sport.
^ Molefe, Mazola (13 October 2018). "Bafana Bafana rock Seychelles in record victory". Independent Online. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
^ Dino Ndlovu at Soccerway
^ ^a ^b "Dino Ndlovu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 13 October 2017.

External links

Dino Ndlovu at National-Football-Teams.com
Dino Ndlovu at Soccerway

[CSL_Play-offs-10] Appearance(s) in CSL Relegation play-offs

[FIFA-1] "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: South Africa" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.

[2] "Dino Ndlovu unveiled by Kocaelispor". Kick Off. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.

[3] Kickoff Magazine May 2013 p. 32

[GL-4] Kinsella, Nizaar (22 November 2017). "The Journey of Qarabag's Dino Ndlovu: From Sleeping in a Train Station toilet to Playing Chelsea". Goal. Retrieved 22 November 2017.

[5] "Dino Nidlovu rəsmən". qarabagh.com (in Azerbaijani). FK Qarabağ. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2016.

[6] "官方：亚泰外援迪诺加盟土耳其第二级别球队博卢体育" (in Chinese). Dongqiudi. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.

[7] "South Africa turn to journeyman Ndlovu". BBC Sport.

[8] Molefe, Mazola (13 October 2018). "Bafana Bafana rock Seychelles in record victory". Independent Online. Retrieved 28 March 2019.

[9] Dino Ndlovu at Soccerway

[NFT_Stats-11] "Dino Ndlovu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 13 October 2017.

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