Blaise Nkufo

2.1. Early Career and European Clubs

Nkufo began his professional career in 1993 with FC Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland, playing for one season before moving to FC Echallens for another year. In 1995, he ventured abroad to Qatar, joining Al-Arabi for a season. He then returned to Switzerland, playing for Yverdon-Sport FC, a second stint with FC Lausanne-Sport, Grasshopper Club Zürich, AC Lugano (on loan), and FC Lucerne. In 2001, Nkufo moved to Germany, where he played for Mainz 05 and later Hannover 96.

2.2. FC Twente

After moving between various clubs in his early career, Nkufo found significant stability and success at FC Twente in the Netherlands, where he spent seven years from 2003 to 2010. During his time at Twente, he became a prolific goal scorer, leading the team in scoring for five of those seasons. On 1 March 2009, Nkufo scored his 100th Eredivisie goal in a match against ADO Den Haag, becoming the eighth foreign player and only the second FC Twente player to reach this milestone. On 1 August 2009, he equaled Jan Jeuring's club record of 103 goals in a match against Sparta Rotterdam, achieving this feat in 192 games compared to Jeuring's 326. He surpassed this record on 15 August, scoring his 104th goal against ADO Den Haag.

In his final season with Twente (2009-10), Nkufo scored 12 Eredivisie goals, playing a crucial role in helping the club secure their first-ever league title in their 45-year history under coach Steve McClaren. He consistently recorded double-digit goals for seven consecutive seasons in the Eredivisie, ultimately accumulating a club record of 114 goals in 223 Eredivisie appearances for Twente. His exceptional contributions earned him legendary status at the club, and a statue was erected in his honor outside the stadium following his departure.

2.3. Seattle Sounders FC

In early 2010, Nkufo expressed interest in joining Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC. On 4 March 2010, the Sounders confirmed his signing, with Nkufo officially joining the squad on 13 July 2010, after his contract with FC Twente expired. His first appearance for the Sounders was on 18 July 2010, in a friendly match against Celtic. He made his league debut on 25 July against the Colorado Rapids.

On 18 September 2010, Nkufo became the first Sounders player to record a hat-trick in league play during an away match against the Columbus Crew. This achievement ended a 415-minute scoreless drought for him since joining the club. On 5 October 2010, Nkufo featured in the final of the U.S. Open Cup, where the Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew by a score of 2-1, securing another title for the club. On 15 March 2011, Seattle and Nkufo mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Thirteen days later, on 28 March 2011, Nkufo announced his retirement from professional football.

4.1. Switzerland National Team

Blaise Nkufo made his international debut for Switzerland in 2000. Following his debut, Nkufo experienced a period of absence from the national team squad for seven years, from 2003 to 2007. This exclusion was partly due to conflicts with the then-coach Jakob Kuhn and issues related to alleged discrimination. However, Nkufo eventually returned to the national team in 2007, following persistent persuasion from coach Kuhn and under the guidance of new coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

He was part of the Swiss squad during the UEFA Euro 2008 co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria, but he suffered an injury just before the tournament, preventing his participation. Nkufo played a crucial role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers, appearing in all 10 matches. He scored five goals during the campaign, making him the joint top scorer for the team alongside Alexander Frei, with goals against Israel, Luxembourg, Latvia, Greece, and Moldova. His contributions were instrumental in securing Switzerland's qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

4.2. 2010 FIFA World Cup

Nkufo was selected as part of the 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. At 35 years old, it was his first appearance in a FIFA World Cup. He was expected to play a significant role as a starting forward, especially after Alexander Frei sustained an injury just before the tournament.

During the group stage, Nkufo played an influential role in the Swiss team's performance, particularly in their opening match against the eventual world champions, Spain. Switzerland famously secured a 1-0 upset victory against Spain, with Nkufo effectively holding the ball against Spanish defenders like Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué. Despite his efforts and the team's strong defensive performance, Nkufo and the other Swiss forwards did not manage to score any goals during the tournament. Switzerland was ultimately eliminated in the group stage.

4.3. International Goals

Nkufo scored seven goals for the Switzerland national team during his international career.

Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nkufo goal.