George Maluleka
{{short description|South African soccer player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = George Maluleka
| image =
| fullname = George Nyiko Maluleka{{NFT player|pid=45758}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|01|07}}
| birth_place = Tembisa, South Africa
| currentclub = Kruger United
| clubnumber =
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs1 = Kempton Park FC
| youthclubs2 = Pretoria University
| years1 = 2006–2007
| clubs1 = Pretoria University
| caps1 = 28
| goals1 = 10
| years2 = 2007–2009
| clubs2 = Supersport United
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2007–2008
| clubs3 = → Pretoria University (loan)
| years4 = 2009–2012
| clubs4 = Ajax Cape Town
| caps4 = 78
| goals4 = 7
| years5 = 2012–2013
| clubs5 = Supersport United
| caps5 = 28
| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 2014–2020
| clubs6 = Kaizer Chiefs
| caps6 = 137
| goals6 = 6
| years7 = 2020–2022
| clubs7 = Mamelodi Sundowns
| caps7 = 15
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2022–2024
| clubs8 = AmaZulu
| caps8 = 41
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2024–
| clubs9 = Kruger United
| caps9 = 1
| goals9 = 0
| nationalyears1 = ?–2009
| nationalteam1 = South Africa U20
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2011–2012
| nationalteam2 = South Africa
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| pcupdate = 13 July 2023
| ntupdate =
}}
George Nyiko Maluleka (born 7 January 1989) is a South African soccer player who plays for Kruger United in the South African National First Division.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-02 |title=George Maluleka Finds New Club After Mamelodi Sundowns exit |url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/local/categories/south-africa/george-maluleka-finds-new-club-after-mamelodi-sundowns-exit/719918 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=Soccer Laduma}}
Club career
Maluleka played for Kempton Park FC and Pretoria University starting out as a striker. In 2006, Maluleke was promoted to the senior side. He managed a fabulous spell with the club totaling ten goals in 28 matches.
Maluleka was noticed by Supersport United and in 2007 he joined the club. Maluleka struggled to get game time and spent time on the bench as unused substitute. He was loaned to Pretoria University. In 2009, he was loaned again to Ajax Cape Town. In 2012, Maluleka returned to the parent Supersport United.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballtop.com/players/george-maluleka|title=George Maluleka|publisher=Football.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}} In 2014, he joined Kaizer Chiefs, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/mobile/news/40188/psl-transfer-news-george-maluleka-joins-kaizer-chiefs|title=Transfer news George Maluleka Joins Kaizer chiefs|accessdate=2020-02-28|publisher=kickoff.com}} He made his Chiefs debut on 23 January 2014 in a 1–0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/mobile/news/40862/maluleka-on-his-kaizer-chiefs-debut-against-mamelodi-sundowns|title=Maluleka on his debut against mamelodi sundowns|publisher=kickoff.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}} He scored his first goal in Amakhosi colours in a 2–0 win over a relegation zone-placed Polokwane City where both George Lebese and George Maluleka scored.{{cite web|url=http://m.goal.com/x/en-za/news/4757094/|title=Maluleka|publisher=goal.com}} Maluleka featured in a pre-season friendly match against Chippa United and he blasted home Chiefs' fourth goal in the dying seconds to win 4–2.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/mobile/news/46870/match-report-chiefs-see-off-chippa-in-6-goal-thriller|title=Chiefs see off chippa in 6 goal thriller|publisher=kickoff.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}} On 26 July 2014 during the 2014 Carling Black Label Cup, Maluleka missed a penalty in 66th minute with the ball crashing onto the woodwork and missed again in the penalty shoot out with an identical copy of the penalty he took earlier and Orlando Pirates won 6–5.{{cite web|url=http://www.enca.com/pirates-beat-chiefs-penalty-shootout|title=Pirates beat chiefs via penalty shootout|publisher=enca.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}} Maluleka scored a second half brace in the MTN8 1st leg semi-final against Platinum Stars, he volleyed home after Luvolwethu Mpeta poorly cleared a Kingston Nkhatha header and scored a sublime free kick outside the box to win 2–0.{{cite web|url=http://m.goal.com/j/en-za/news/5038613|title=George Maluleka|publisher=goal.com}} He was voted Goal.com's Player of the Week.{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/5228/south-africa-player-of-the-week/2014/08/18/5041335/south-africa-player-of-the-week-george-maluleka-kaizer|title=South Africa player of the week – George Maluleka|publisher=goal.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}} He curled home another free kick from 22-yards in the second leg to give Chiefs a 3–0 aggregate lead. Chiefs made it to the final winning 5–0 on aggregate.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/leagues/mtn8/mtn8-full-time-report-kaizer-chiefs-v-platinum-stars/174615|title=MTN8 full time match report Kaizer chiefs vs platinum stars|publisher=soccerladuma.co.za|accessdate=2020-02-28}}
International career
Maluleka made his debut for the senior national team on 12 November 2011 in a 1–1 draw against Ivory Coast.{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/9788/South_Africa_Ivory_Coast.html|title=South Africa – Ivory Coast|publisher=nationalfootballteams.com|accessdate=2020-02-28}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maluleka, George}}
Category:Soccer players from Gauteng
Category:South African men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:University of Pretoria F.C. players
Category:SuperSport United F.C. players
Category:Cape Town Spurs F.C. players
Category:Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players
Category:Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. players
Category:Kruger United F.C. players
Category:National First Division players
Category:South African Premier Division players