Mpumi Nyandeni
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nompumelelo Nyandeni | ||
| Date of birth | 19 August 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | JVW | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| WFC Rossiyanka | |||
| -2022 | JVW FC | (55) | |
| 2023-2024 | TS Galaxy Queens | 60 | (7) |
| 2024- | JVW FC | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2002–2025 | South Africa | 150 | (39) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 August 2014 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 April 2025 | |||
Nompumelelo "Mpumi" Nyandeni (born 19 August 1987) is a South African soccer player who plays as a midfielder for SAFA Women's League side JVW.
Nyandeni has represented the South Africa women's national football team 150 times, including at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. She is the third most capped player for the national team.[1]
In 2010, she took part in a FIFA campaign for improving health through recreational football together with players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Didier Drogba.[2]
She captained JVW to the national championship in 2019.[3]
In 2022 she was named the South African Football Journalists' Association (Safja) women's footballer of the year.[4]
Club career
[edit]Mpumi Nyandeni came through the Mpumalanga-based Detroit Ladies youth system. While a youth player, she competed with older players for positions in the senior side. She subsequently transferred to WFC Rossiyanka in the Russian Women's Football Championship. In 2011, she was selected by FIFA as one of a side of 11 international players to promote health issues among young people; others in the list included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.[5] While at Rossiyanka, she met Refiloe Jane for the first time, who had been inspired by Nyandeni and would later also become a South African international.[6]
JVW
[edit]In 2019 she captained JVW to their maiden trophy when they won the 2019 Sasol League National Championship[3]
In 2021, she was joint top goal scorer with Andisiwe Mgcoyi with 27 goals helping JVW to a top five finish in the league.[7]
She scored 30 goals in the 2022 season and won the top goal scorer award for the second consecutive season.[8]
She rounded off the season by winning the 2022 South African Football Journalists' Association (Safja) Women's footballer of the year award.[4]
TS Galaxy Queens
[edit]In 2023, she joined TS Galaxy Queens.[9] She scored 7 goals for the club during the 2023 season.
JVW
[edit]In March 2024, she rejoined JVW.
International career
[edit]She made her national team debut as a 15 year-old in 2002.[1]
Nyandeni was called up to the South Africa women's national football team during the qualification matches for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. She was disappointed to be dropped from the squad, which she attributed to her fluctuating form, but was recalled and later played for South Africa in three matches at the Games itself.[5][10] She has since become one of the most experienced players for the South African team, being one of four players alongside Janine van Wyk, Amanda Dlamini and Noko Matlou who have more than 100 caps each.[11] She was selected once again for the squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[12]
In April 2025 she was called up to the squad for her 150th cap.[13] Nyandeni captained Banyana Banyana in her 150th cap in a 2-1 win over Malawi on 8 April 2025 at Lucas Moripe Stadium.[14] She is the third most capped player behind Noko Matlou (174 caps) and Janine van Wyk (185 caps).[1]
International goals
[edit]Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
21 November 2018 | Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana |  Equatorial Guinea |
2–0 |
7–1 |
2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations |
Honours
[edit]Individual
- 2021 SAFA Women's League: Top Goal Scorer (27 goals)
- 2022 SAFA Women's League: Top Goal Scorer (30 goals)
- 2022 South African Football Journalists' Association (Safja): Women's footballer of the year
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Mthembu, Thuthukani. "Banyana Banyana's Nyandeni set for emotional farewell in final match against Malawi". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ [1] FIFA
- ^ a b Ndumela, Mntungwa (8 December 2019). "JVW Crowned 2019 Sasol League National Champions". Sasol In Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ a b Mjikeliso, Compiled by Sibusiso. "100-cap Banyana veteran Nyandeni wins football writers' player of the year award". Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Mpumi "Skito" Nyandeni Road To International Stardom And Life And Russia". SA Women. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ Mailwane, Tshepang (22 August 2015). "Ball girl now a star Banyana player". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ Kganakga, Tlamelo (28 March 2022). "HBSL Honours Top 2021/22 Season Performers". gsport4girls. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ "Sundowns Ladies dominate the 2022 Hollywoodbets Super League Awards - SAFA.net". 4 December 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Hare, Rudene (4 February 2023). "TS Galaxy Queens Squad Announced for Hollywoodbets Super League Season". gsport4girls. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ "Mpumi Nyandeni". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ Molobi, Timothy (2 August 2016). "Banyana seek redemption at Rio Games". News 24. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ "Nyandeni, Mpumi". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ Morake, Matlhomola. "Almost forgotten Banyana midfielder Mpumi Nyandeni is in line for a 150th cap". City Press. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
- ^ Ntloko, Mninawa (7 April 2025). "Nyandeni prepares for her final cap as Banyana wrap up series against Malawi - SAFA.net". Retrieved 8 April 2025.
South Africa squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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SAFA Women's League Top Scorer | |
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- Living people
- 1987 births
- Women's association football midfielders
- South African women's soccer players
- South Africa women's international soccer players
- Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic soccer players for South Africa
- FIFA Women's Century Club
- Footballers at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Expatriate women's footballers in Russia
- WFC Rossiyanka players
- Women's association football forwards
- South African expatriate women's soccer players
- SAFA Women's League players
- JVW F.C. players
- TS Galaxy Queens players
- 21st-century South African sportswomen
- South African women's soccer biography stubs