Kagisho Dikgacoi
{{short description|South African footballer}}
{{Use South African English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Kagisho Dikgacoi
| image = Kagisho Dikgacoi (19107154174).jpg
| upright = 1.2
| caption = Dikgacoi warming-up for Cardiff City in 2015
| full_name = Kagisho Evidence Dikgacoi
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|11|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Brandfort, South Africa
| height = 1.80 m
| currentclub = Witbank Spurs (Manager)
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Cardiff Spurs
| years1 = 2004–2005
| clubs1 = Bloemfontein Young Tigers
| caps1 = 10
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2005–2009
| clubs2 = Golden Arrows
| caps2 = 82
| goals2 = 8
| years3 = 2009–2011
| clubs3 = Fulham
| caps3 = 14
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2011
| clubs4 = → Crystal Palace (loan)
| caps4 = 13
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2011–2014
| clubs5 = Crystal Palace
| caps5 = 92
| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 2014–2016
| clubs6 = Cardiff City
| caps6 = 25
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2016–2017
| clubs7 = Golden Arrows
| caps7 = 10
| goals7 = 1
| totalcaps = 246
| totalgoals = 16
| nationalyears1 = 2007–2013
| nationalteam1 = South Africa
| nationalcaps1 = 54
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1 = 2018
| managerclubs1 = Royal Eagles (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2019–
| managerclubs2 = Witbank Spurs
}}
Kagisho Evidence Dikgacoi {{IPAc-en|d|iː|ˈ|x|ʌ|ʃ|w|ɑː}}https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jq90NaDXsM 0:46 (born 24 November 1984) is a South African retired professional footballer who is currently the manager of Witbank Spurs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/local/categories/south-africa/kagisho-dikgacoi-confirms-new-role-after-retirement/298068|title = Kagisho Dikgacoi Confirms New Role After Retirement|date = 11 July 2018}} He represented South Africa at international level.
He made his international debut in 2007, and since then has earned 54 caps, scoring twice. He played at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008 and 2013, and at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Club career
=Early career=
Dikgacoi began his career at local club Cardiff Spurs, before moving to Golden Arrows in 2005 as a little-known holding midfielder from lower league side Bloemfontein Young Tigers. At Arrows, he developed into one of the country's best players in his position and was subsequently rewarded with the captain's armband.
=Fulham=
On 4 August 2009, Dikgacoi announced that he had reached an agreement with Fulham after a successful trial at the club. The deal was only finalised on 26 August after a work permit was granted. Dikgacoi had trained with his former club Golden Arrows while the work permit process took place in order to maintain fitness.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8223373.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Fulham's Dikgacoi gets UK permit | date=26 August 2009}}{{Cite web|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8224726.stm|title=BBC SPORT {{!}} Football {{!}} My Club {{!}} F {{!}} Fulham {{!}} Midfielder Dikgacoi joins Fulham|website=newsimg.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-28}} He made his debut on 4 October, but was sent off in the 41st minute for slapping Scott Parker.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8282382.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=West Ham 2–2 Fulham | date=4 October 2009}}
=Crystal Palace=
After appearing only once for Fulham under Mark Hughes in the 2010–11 season, Dikgacoi was allowed to drop down a division and join Crystal Palace in February on a loan deal until the end of the season. He scored his first goal for Crystal Palace against Cardiff on 8 March 2011, before moving permanently to the Eagles on 4 July 2011 for a fee of £600,000.{{cite news | url=http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Eagles-complete-600-000-purchase-Kagisho-Dikgacoi/story-12877123-detail/story.html | work=This is Croydon Today | title=Eagles to complete £600,000 purchase of Kagisho Dikgacoi | date=6 July 2011 | access-date=6 July 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321171937/http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Eagles-complete-600-000-purchase-Kagisho-Dikgacoi/story-12877123-detail/story.html | archive-date=21 March 2012 | url-status=dead }}
=Cardiff City=
On 12 June 2014, Dikgacoi signed a three-year deal with Cardiff City after refusing a new deal with Crystal Palace.{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27813902.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Cardiff City sign Crystal Palace's Kagisho Dikgacoi | date=12 June 2014}} He made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming on for Aron Gunnarsson on 23 August.{{cite news |title=Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 Cardiff City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28815362 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 August 2014 }} His full debut came three days later in the League Cup, where Cardiff beat Port Vale.{{cite news |title=Port Vale 2–3 Cardiff City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28847808 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 August 2014}} Following a series of niggling of injuries, Dikgacoi was ruled out for four months with a knee injury in November.{{cite news |title=Kagisho Dikgacoi: Cardiff midfielder sidelined for four months |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29876615 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 November 2014}}
Dikgacoi did not return until the following season, where he started on the opening day against Fulham.{{cite news |title=Cardiff City 1–1 Fulham |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33744136 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 August 2015}} He made 25 appearances during the season as Cardiff missed out on the play-offs, before his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 26 August.{{cite news |title=Club statement: Kagisho Dikgacoi |url=http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/club-statement-kagisho-dikgacoi-3273528.aspx |publisher=Cardiff City Football Club |date=26 August 2016}}
=Golden Arrows=
In October 2016, Dikgacoi returned to former club Lamontville Golden Arrows after training with the team. He signed a short-term deal. As a result of injuries and weight issues, he played in just ten matches and failed to complete a match. The Golden Arrows announced in June 2017 that he would not return for the following season.{{Cite news|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/76620/kagisho-dikgacoi-leaves-golden-arrows|title=Kagisho Dikgacoi leaves Golden Arrows|last=realnet.co.uk|work=Kick Off|access-date=2018-03-28|language=en-gb}}
Dikgacoi announced his retirement from playing in July 2018.{{cite web |title=Dikgacoi hangs up his boots after 14-year career |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/Soccer/South-Africa/dikgacoi-hangs-up-his-boots-after-14-year-career-20180712 |website=news24.com |access-date=13 August 2021 |date=12 July 2018}}
International career
Dikgacoi made his debut for the South Africa national team on 27 May 2007, in a COSAFA Cup match against Mauritius. He scored his first two goals on 7 June 2008, in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Equatorial Guinea, which ended 4–1. He was part of Bafana Bafana's 2008 African Nations Cup squad and was also a participant at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 African Cup of Nations, held in his home country.
Post-playing career
Following his retirement from playing football Dikgacoi entered the business arena alongside his business partner Tieho Benny Mokhalinyane. In 2018, his apparel company International Sports Apparel Design Institute concluded a deal with the Football Association of Malawi for the supply of kits, tracksuits, and golf shirts.{{cite news|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/soccer/2018-03-08-kagisho-dikgacoi-goes-into-business/|title=Kagisho Dikgacoi goes into business|publisher=Sowetab Live|last=Wa Ka Mabasa|first=Tiyani|date=18 March 2018|access-date=5 June 2018}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 9 May 2016}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| rowspan="4"|Golden Arrows | 2006–07 | rowspan="3"|ABSA Premiership | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 4 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!73 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 8 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Fulham | 2009–10 | rowspan="2"|Premier League | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Crystal Palace | 2010–11 | rowspan="3"|Championship | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 2011–12 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!108 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 8 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Cardiff City
|rowspan="2"|Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!219 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 231 | 16 |
=International goals=
:Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dikgacoi goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Kagisho Dikgacoi | ||||||
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"|1 | rowspan="2"|7 June 2008 | rowspan="2"|Atteridgeville, South Africa | rowspan="2"|{{fb|Equatorial Guinea}} | align="center"|1–0 | rowspan="2" align="center"|4–1 | rowspan="2"|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| align="center"|2 | align="center"|4–1 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{FIFA player|269986}}
- {{NFT player|22698}}
- [http://palace.footballblog.co.uk/kagisho-dikgacoi.html/ Kagisho Dikgacoi palace.footballblog Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824004600/http://palace.footballblog.co.uk/kagisho-dikgacoi.html |date=24 August 2011 }}
{{Navboxes
| bg = #F7EB29
| fg = #006400
| bordercolor = #006400
| title = South Africa Squad
| list1 =
{{South Africa squad 2008 Africa Cup of Nations }}
{{South Africa squad 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
{{South Africa squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{South Africa squad 2013 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dikgacoi, Kagisho}}
Category:People from Masilonyana Local Municipality
Category:South African men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:South Africa men's international soccer players
Category:2008 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players
Category:Bloemfontein Young Tigers players
Category:Lamontville Golden Arrows F.C. players
Category:South African expatriate men's soccer players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Premier League players
Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players
Category:2013 Africa Cup of Nations players