Itumeleng Khune (born 20 June 1987 in Ventersdorp, North West) is a South African footballer. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League, as well as the South African national team.

Early & personal life[link]

Khune hails from Tshing near Ventersdorp in the North West. He grew up in a family of six in which his father, a mineworker in one of Ventersdorp’s mines, was the sole breadwinner. Unlike many South African players who cite kicking a football on their hometown's dusty streets as their starting point, Khune was in love with cricket idolising Nicky Boje. He eventually decided to pursue a career in football to earn a living for him and his family.

His younger brother Lucky Khune plays as a striker for Chiefs.

Club career[link]

Khune started out as a defender when he arrived for trials at Chiefs in 1999, but assumed the gloves by chance after he experienced chest problems during a junior game and found himself being reduced to a ball boy. Diving for balls that had missed the target he caught the attention of youth coach Terror Sephoa who converted him to a goalkeeper. In 2004 he was promoted to the first team.

After three years of waiting to get any game time, Itumeleng finally got his opportunity in the early stages of the 2007-08 season after the departure of number one goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez to German club Arminia Bielefeld. With the experienced Emile Baron often plagued by injuries, Khune was made number one by then Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral. He made his PSL debut against Jomo Cosmos on August 25, 2007. His first season in the top-flight was highly successful as several match-winning displays for his side earned him a host of individual awards with Chiefs having the best defensive record in the league conceding only 19 goals in 30 games.

In his second season he often struggled to regain the form and consistency of the previous season even though Chiefs managed to finish third in the standings and win the MTN 8.

During the 2009-10 season a finger injury sidelined Khune for three months giving understudy Arthur Bartman a chance to play regularly in his absence.

International career[link]

He was part of Bafana Bafana's 2008 African Nations Cup squad but was not fielded until he made his international debut against Zimbabwe on March 11, 2008. He had since become the preferred choice in goal by former South Africa coach Joel Santana.

Khune was the first-choice goalkeeper in South Africa's squad at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where he saved a penalty against Spanish star David Villa in the group stages.

Khune was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup as Carlos Alberto Parreira's first-choice goalkeeper and made some good saves in the opening match against Mexico. However on 16 June 2010 he was sent off against Uruguay when he tripped Luis Suárez inside the penalty area in the 77th minute. He became the second goalkeeper to be sent off in the history of the FIFA World Cup, joining Gianluca Pagliuca who saw red in 1994.^[1] Khune subsequently missed South Africa's final group game against France, where Moeneeb Josephs deputised as Bafana Bafana won 2-1 to restore some pride as they became the first host nation to exit the tournament at the opening stage. After the World Cup he regained his number one spot in the team and he has kept three consecutive clean sheets on international level.

Honours[link]

Club[link]

• Premier Soccer League 2004-05
• ABSA Cup 2006
• Coca-Cola Cup 2004
• SAA Supa 8 2006
• Telkom Knockout 2007, 2010, 2011
• MTN 8 2008

Personal[link]

• PSL Players' Player of the Season 2007-08
• PSL Club Rookie of the Year 2007-08
• SA Sports Awards Newcomer of the Year 2008
• Telkom Knockout Player of the Tournament 2007
• Telkom Knockout Goalkeeper of the Tournament 2007
• Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Season 2007-08
• Kaizer Chiefs Player of the Season 2007-08
• Kaizer Chiefs Player's Player of the Season 2007-08

External links[link]

• Itumeleng Khune – FIFA competition record
• Career history at National Football Teams

References[link]

South Africa Squad v t e South Africa squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Fernández 2 Fransman 3 Masilela 4 Mokoena 5 Morris 6 Davids 7 Nhlapo 8 Tshabalala 9 Moriri 10 Pienaar 11 van Heerden 12 Modise 13 Mhlongo 14 Chabangu 15 Zuma 16 Josephs 17 Mphela 18 Walaza 19 Moon 20 Evans 21 Fanteni 22 Dikgacoi 23 Khune Coach: Parreira v t e South Africa squad – 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Fourth Place 1 Fernández 2 Gaxa 3 Masilela 4 Mokoena 5 Mhlongo 6 Sibaya 7 Davids 8 Tshabalala 9 Mphela 10 Pienaar 11 van Heerden 12 Modise 13 Dikgacoi 14 Booth 15 Mdledle 16 Khune 17 Parker 18 Fanteni 19 Moon 20 Khumalo 21 Mashego 22 Baloyi 23 Gould Coach: Santana v t e South Africa squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup 1 Josephs 2 Gaxa 3 Masilela 4 Mokoena (c) 5 Ngcongca 6 Sibaya 7 Davids 8 Tshabalala 9 Mphela 10 Pienaar 11 Modise 12 Letsholonyane 13 Dikgacoi 14 Booth 15 Thwala 16 Khune 17 Parker 18 Nomvethe 19 Moriri 20 Khumalo 21 Sangweni 22 Walters 23 Khuboni Coach: Parreira