Ariza Makukula

Ariza Makukula

Personal information
Date of birth	(1981-03-04) 4 March 1981 (age 42)
Place of birth	Kinshasa, Zaire
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre-forward
Youth career
1991–1992	Vitória Setúbal
1992–1993	Chaves
1993–2000	Vitória Guimarães
1996–1997	→ Brito (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2002	Salamanca	40	(20)
2001	→ Leganés (loan)	13	(4)
2002–2004	Nantes	18	(1)
2003–2004	→ Valladolid (loan)	18	(8)
2004–2008	Sevilla	13	(1)
2006–2007	→ Gimnàstic (loan)	12	(1)
2007–2008	→ Marítimo (loan)	13	(7)
2008–2010	Benfica	3	(0)
2009	→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)	6	(0)
2009–2010	→ Kayserispor (loan)	29	(21)
2010–2012	Manisaspor	39	(5)
2012–2013	Karşıyaka	10	(3)
2013	Vitória Setúbal	10	(2)
2013	OFI	9	(2)
2014	BEC Tero Sasana	0	(0)
Total		233	(75)
International career
2001–2002	Portugal U21	14	(4)
2007–2008	Portugal	4	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ariza Makukula (born 4 March 1981) is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-forward.

He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 26 matches and nine goals over three seasons for Marítimo, Benfica and Vitória de Setúbal, spending the vast majority of his career abroad. He competed in Spain, England, Turkey, Greece and Thailand, winning the UEFA Cup with Sevilla in 2006 and being Süper Lig top scorer with Kayserispor in 2009–10.

Born in Zaire, Makukula earned four caps for the Portugal national team in three and a half months.

Club career

Early career

The son of Kuyangana Makukula, a Congolese footballer who spent seven years in Portugal with four clubs, mainly Vitória de Setúbal, his mother being Portuguese, ^{[1] [2]} Makukula was born in Kinshasa, then in Zaire. He moved to Portugal at age five to live in Matosinhos as his father played for Leixões S.C. and then to Setúbal after the transfer to Vitória, where he began in the youth ranks. ^[3]

After a spell at G.D. Chaves, Makukula concluded his development at Vitória de Guimarães, where he and César Peixoto were also loaned to nearby Brito SC. Through agent Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute company, ^[3] he began his professional career in Spain with UD Salamanca and CD Leganés, scoring 20 goals for the former in the 2001–02 season – spent in the Segunda División – second-best in the competition. ^[4]

Nantes

While Mendes tried to get Makukula a transfer to teams including Juventus FC, he moved in the summer of 2002 to play with FC Nantes in France on his father's recommendation, having been educated at the Lycée français Charles Lepierre in Lisbon. ^[3] He split the campaign between the main squad and the reserves and scoring one Ligue 1 goal to equalise in a 2–1 away loss against AS Monaco FC on 11 September 2002. ^[5] He was subsequently loaned to Real Valladolid, netting eight times but suffering relegation from La Liga; ^[4] he opened his account in the Spanish top flight with two goals on 27 September 2003 at RC Celta de Vigo, who recovered to win 3–2. ^[6] His season ended the following January through a knee injury, ruling him out for nearly a full year. ^[7]

Sevilla

Makukula was then bought in June 2004 by another side in the same league, Sevilla FC, for an estimated €3.5 million of which 10% went to Salamanca. ^[8] They beat their city rivals Real Betis to his signature. ^[9]

Due to his ongoing injury, Makukula did not debut for the Nervión club until 8 January 2005, when he came on as a 56th-minute substitute for Carlitos in a goalless home draw with Getafe CF, in which he was booked. ^{[10] [11]} His first goal on 2 February was consolation in a 3–1 loss (4–3 aggregate) away to CA Osasuna in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, ^[12] followed four days later with his only league goal in a 3–0 away win over Levante UD. ^[13] On 24 February, he came on in the 79th minute at home to Panathinaikos F.C. as Sevilla trailed 1–0 from the first leg in the UEFA Cup's last 32, and four minutes later scored in an eventual 2–0 victory. ^[14]

In 2005–06, with Juande Ramos having replaced Joaquín Caparrós as manager, Makukula's injuries continued and he had to deal with the signings of fellow forwards Luís Fabiano, Javier Saviola and Frédéric Kanouté. ^[15] He played one game all season, 13 minutes and a yellow card in extra time in the UEFA Cup semi-final second leg against FC Schalke 04 on 27 April 2006, after Antonio Puerta had scored the only goal for the eventual champions. ^[16]

In August 2006, Makukula was loaned Gimnàstic de Tarragona, newly promoted to Spain's main division. ^[17] He scored his only goal of 14 matches on his sixth appearance on 15 October, coming off the bench in a 3–2 home defeat to Athletic Bilbao. ^[18] On 27 May 2007, as his team lost 2–0 to Atlético Madrid to be relegated, he was sent off at the Nou Estadi de Tarragona. ^[19]

Benfica

In July 2007, Makukula was loaned again to C.S. Marítimo in his adopted nation. ^[20] He made his Primeira Liga debut on 18 August on the first day of the season at home to F.C. Paços de Ferreira and scored twice in a 3–1 win. ^[21] On 2 September, also at the Estádio do Marítimo, he scored, was booked for his celebration and sent off for violent conduct towards Paulo Sérgio all in the first seven minutes of a 2–0 victory against Académica de Coimbra. ^[22]

After seven top-tier goals in only 13 appearances, Makukula transferred to S.L. Benfica for €3.5 million and four and a half years in late January 2008. ^[23] On 14 February, he scored the game's only goal in a home win against 1. FC Nürnberg in the UEFA Cup round of 32. ^[24]

Makukula was not used at all in the first part of 2008–09. On 16 January 2009, after a move to West Bromwich Albion fell through, ^[3] he signed for fellow Premier League team Bolton Wanderers on loan until the end of the campaign with a view to a permanent move costing around £4.5 million in the summer. ^[25] He made his debut a day later against Manchester United, playing 64 minutes in a 0–1 home loss. ^[26]

Later career

On 11 August 2009, Makukula was loaned again, now to Süper Lig club Kayserispor in Turkey. He ended the season as the competition's top scorer, with eight goals more than the second player in an eighth-place finish. ^[27]

In the very last minutes of the 2010 summer transfer window Makukula signed a three-year deal with another side in the country, Manisaspor, for €2 million. ^[28] He alleged that he was never paid there and, ^[3] in summer 2012, he agreed to a contract at another Turkish team, Karşıyaka S.K. in division two. ^[29] He was released in January of the following year, returning to Portugal after five years and joining Vitória de Setúbal; ^[30] suffering with knee and meniscus injuries and disputes with the organisation, he cancelled the second year of his contract and did not request compensation for it. ^[3]

Makukula headed back abroad in September 2013, joining Super League Greece's OFI Crete F.C. on a one-year deal with the option of a second. ^[31] The following February, he rescinded his contract at the club led by compatriot Ricardo Sá Pinto and joined BEC Tero Sasana F.C. in Thailand. ^[32] Disappointed by the facilities in Bangkok, he severed his ties two months later and returned to his birth country, becoming sporting director and ambassador of their national team. ^[3]

International career

Makukula chose to represent Portugal internationally. He started playing for the under-21s, ^[33] appearing in the 2002 UEFA European Championship. ^[34]

As a senior, Makukula tried to switch to DR Congo, but a FIFA amended rule regarding international careers came out in 2005, stating that change in nationality representation should occur before a player's 21st birthday and if they have not yet gained their first full cap, so he was denied in his intentions (he was 23 at time of rule, which was abolished in 2009). ^[35] In October 2007, after solid performances with Marítimo, he was called up to the Portugal squad for a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier against Kazakhstan on the 17th, after Nuno Gomes suffered an injury: in the 84th minute of the game, he scored the first goal in an eventual 2–1 away win. ^[36]

Although not part of 24-men Portuguese 2010 FIFA World Cup provisional squad, ^{[37] [38]} Makukula was named in a backup list of six players. ^[39] Ultimately, he did not make the final cut.

Personal life

Makukula met his wife while playing for Nantes, and they had four children before their divorce. He named his first son Aziz Del Nido after Sevilla president José María del Nido, out of gratitude for signing him while long-term injured. ^[3]

While buying a house in Lisbon after signing for Benfica, Makukula allowed agent Ricardo Rodrigues to withdraw €200,000 from his bank account. The agent took the cash, while lying that he had been robbed by "four black men" in the problem neighbourhood of Vale da Amoreira. The money was recovered in court. ^{[3] [40]}

Makukula, a Catholic, attended mass every Sunday. ^[3]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ^{[41] [42]}

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Vitória Guimarães	1999–00	Primeira Liga	0	0			–		–
Salamanca	2000–01	Segunda División	2	0			–		–
	2001–02		38	20			–		–
	Total		40	20			0	0	0	0
Leganés (loan)	2000–01	Segunda División	13	4			–		–
Nantes	2002–03	Ligue 1	18	1			2	0	–
Valladolid (loan)	2003–04	La Liga	18	8			–		–
Sevilla	2004–05	La Liga	13	1	2	0	–		3	1	18	1
	2005–06		0	0			–		1	0
	Total		13	1			0	0	4	1
Gimnàstic (loan)	2006–07	La Liga	12	1			–		–
Marítimo (loan)	2007–08	Primeira Liga	13	7	1	0	0	0	–		14	7
Benfica	2007–08	Primeira Liga	3	0	2	1	0	0	3	1	8	2
	2008–09		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		4	0	2	1	0	0	3	1	9	2
Bolton Wanderers (loan)	2008–09	Premier League	6	0	0	0	0	0	–		6	0
Kayserispor (loan)	2009–10	Süper Lig	29	21	1	0	–		–		30	21
Manisaspor	2010–11	Süper Lig	16	4	3	0	–		–		19	4
Career total			182	67	7	1	2	0	7	2	198	70

International

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Makukula goal.

International goal scored by Ariza Makukula

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 October 2007	Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	1–0	2–1	Euro 2008 qualifying [36]

Honours

Sevilla

• UEFA Cup: 2005–06 ^[16]

References

1. "Benfica star is Baggies target". Express & Star . 5 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
2. "Makukula está de regresso a Portugal" [Makukula back to Portugal]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 17 January 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
3. Simōes de Abreu, Alexandra (18 May 2019). "Makukula: "Uma vez passei-me com o Cardozo no balneário do Benfica. Ele entrava, não falava com ninguém e sacava logo dos santos"" [Makukula: "Once I got mad at Cardozo in the Benfica locker room. He would come in, would not speak to anyone and then revered his saints"]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
4. "La maldición de Makukula" [The curse of Makukula]. El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). 30 January 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
5. "Football – Succès de Bordeaux et de Monaco, le PSG déçoit Nice bat Marseille et conserve la première place de la Ligue 1(PHOTO)" [Football – Success for Bordeaux and for Monaco, PSG disappoint Nice beat Marseille and maintain first place in Ligue 1(PHOTO)]. L'Orient-Le Jour (in French). 12 September 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
6. "El Celta supera sus errores frente al Valladolid" [Celta overcome their errors against Valladolid]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 27 September 2003. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
7. "Makukula: "Tuve que convencerme de que no era un inválido"" [Makukula: "I had to convince myself that I was not disabled"]. El País (in Spanish). 27 December 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
8. "Nantes y Sevilla acuerdan el traspaso de Makukula" [Nantes and Sevilla agree to the transfer of Makukula]. As (in Spanish). 8 June 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
9. "Makukula, entre Sevilla y Betis" [Makukula, between Sevilla and Betis]. As (in Spanish). 7 June 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
10. Gutiérrez, Andrés (7 June 2004). "Makukula podría debutar en la Liga ante el Getafe" [Makukula could debut in La Liga against Getafe]. As (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
11. "El Sevilla no puede con un Getafe bien organizado" [Sevilla could not deal with a well-organised Getafe]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 8 January 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
12. Gómez Montes, Jorge (2 February 2005). "Osasuna remonta al Sevilla y se mete en semifinales" [Osasuna come back against Sevilla and put themselves in the semi-finals]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
13. "El Sevilla derrota a un desordenado Levante" [Sevilla defeat a disordered Levante]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 6 February 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
14. "Adriano dio pase al Sevilla en el 92" [Adriano put Sevilla through in the 92"]. As (in Spanish). 24 February 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
15. Solans, Jorge (26 November 2005). "Álvaro: "Matar o morir, no nos queda otra opción"" [Álvaro: "Kill or die, no other option remains for us"]. As (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
16. "Sevilla 1–0 Schalke (aet agg 1–0)". BBC Sport. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
17. "Makukula joins Tarragona". BBC Sport. 12 August 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
18. "El Athletic ganaba 0–3 y acabó pidiendo la hora en Tarragona" [Athletic were winning 0–3 and ended up asking for the time in Tarragona]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 16 October 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
19. "Con dos anotaciones de Fernando Torres el Atlético vence al Gimnástic" [With two goals from Fernando Torres Atlético defeat Gimnàstic] (in Spanish). Medio Tiempo. 27 May 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
20. Fernandes, João Manuel (19 July 2007). "Marítimo conta com os "regressados" Makukula e Fábio Felício e mais dois reforços" [Marítimo count on "returning" Makukula and Fábio Felício and two more additions] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
21. "Marítimo vence (3–1) Paços de Ferreira com dois golos de Makukula" [Marítimo defeat (3–1) Paços de Ferreira with two goals from Makukula]. Público (in Portuguese). 18 August 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
22. "MARÍTIMO-ACADÉMICA, 2–0 (Makukula 3', Bruno 70')". Record (in Portuguese). 2 September 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
23. "Makukula makes Benfica switch". UEFA. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
24. "Victoria por la mínima" [Narrow win] (in Spanish). UEFA. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
25. "Makukula secures Bolton loan move". BBC Sport. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
26. "Berbatov the hero for United". ESPN Soccernet. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
27. "Makukula, e vão 21: mais um golo do avançado na liga turca" [Makukula, make that 21: another goal from forward in Turkish league] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
28. "Comunicado" [Announcement](PDF) (in Portuguese). Portuguese Securities Market Commission. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
29. "Makukula Karşıyaka'da" [Makukula to Karşıyaka]. Milliyet (in Turkish). 26 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
30. "Makukula regressa a Portugal para seguir as pisadas do pai em Setúbal" [Makukula returns to Portugal to follow in his father's footsteps in Setúbal]. Público (in Portuguese). 17 January 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
31. "Makukula ruma ao OFI Creta" [Makukula heads to OFI Crete]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 September 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
32. "Makukula vai para a Tailândia" [Makukula going to Thailand]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 6 February 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
33. "Sub-21: Portugal empata com Noruega" [Under-21: Portugal draw with Norway]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 April 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
34. "Sub-21: Portugal-Inglaterra, 3–1 (crónica)" [Under-21: Portugal-England, 3–1 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
35. "Makukula ineligible for DRC". BBC Sport. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 1 October 2007.
36. "Portugal leave it late for victory". UEFA. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
37. "Convocados revelados" [Squad revealed] (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
38. "Pepe in Portugal squad". FIFA. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
39. "Release list of up to 30 players" (PDF). FIFA. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
40. "Empresário desvia 200 mil €" [Agent embezzles €200 thousand]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 10 December 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
41. "Makukula". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
42. "Makukula". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 4 August 2015.

External links

• Ariza Makukula at ForaDeJogo (archived)
• Ariza Makukula at BDFutbol
• Ariza Makukula at Soccerbase
• Ariza Makukula at the Turkish Football Federation
• Ariza Makukula national team profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
• Ariza Makukula at National-Football-Teams.com