Nathan Sinkala
{{short description|Zambian footballer (born 1990)}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Nathan Sinkala
|image =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1990|11|22}}
|birth_place = Chingola, Zambia
|height =
|position = Defensive midfielder
|currentclub = ZESCO United
|clubnumber =
|years1 = 2008–2012
|clubs1 = Green Buffaloes
|caps1 =
|goals1 =
|years2 = 2009
|clubs2 = → Hapoel Kiryat Shmona (loan)
|caps2 =
|goals2 =
|years3 = 2012–2020
|clubs3 = TP Mazembe
|caps3 =
|goals3 =
|years4 = 2014
|clubs4 = → Sochaux (loan)
|caps4 = 15
|goals4 = 0
|years5 = 2014–2015
|clubs5 = → Grasshoppers (loan)
|caps5 = 7
|goals5 = 0
|years6 = 2020–2022
|clubs6 = Stellenbosch
|caps6 = 53
|goals6 = 5
|years7 = 2023–
|clubs7 = ZESCO United
|caps7 =
|goals7 =
|nationalyears1 = 2011–
|nationalteam1 = Zambia
|nationalcaps1 = 52
|nationalgoals1 = 3
|club-update = 2 September 2023
|nationalteam-update = 2 September 2023
}}
Nathan Sinkala (born 22 November 1990) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for ZESCO United and the Zambia national team.{{soccerway|nathan-sinkala/226403|accessdate=24 January 2021}}
Club career
=Green Buffaloes=
Born in Chingola,{{cite web|url=http://www.tpmazembe.com/fr/team/squad/nathan-sinkala|title=Profile|publisher=TP Mazembe}} Sinkala began his career in 2008 with Green Buffaloes,{{cite web|url=http://www.zambianfootball.net/2008/04/22/njobvudip-in-form-due-to-fatigue/|title=Njobvu:Dip in form due to fatigue|date=22 April 2008|publisher=Zam Foot}} and spent a loan spell in Israel with Hapoel Kiryat Shmona during 2009, playing for their reserve team.{{cite web|url=http://www.zambianfootball.net/2009/07/08/kachepa-on-the-ball-transfer-rumour-mill-news/|title=Kachepa on the Ball: Transfer & rumour mill news|date=8 July 2009|publisher=Zam Foot}} At Green Buffaloes, Sinkala scored three leagues goal during the 2009 season,{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zamb09.html|website=RSSSF|title=Zambia 2009}} and two league goals during the 2010 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zamb2010.html|website=RSSSF|title=Zambia 2010}} He also won the Zambian Charity Shield in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.zambianfootball.net/2010/03/06/buffaloes-win-charity-shield/|title=Buffaloes win Charity Shield|date=6 March 2010|publisher=Zam Foot}}
=TP Mazembe and loans=
After participating at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Sinkala signed for TP Mazembe on a three-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17385557|title=Bwalya hoping for Zambian exodus to Europe|date=15 March 2012|author=Ed Aarons|publisher=BBC Sport}}
On 8 January 2014, Sinkala joined French Ligue 1 side Sochaux-Montbéliard on a loan deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25604423|title=Zambian pair Sinkala and Sunzu sign for Sochaux|date=8 January 2014|access-date=8 January 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}} He later stated that he wished to remain with the club following the end of the loan deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27128234|title=Nathan Sinkala keen to stay on at Sochaux|date=23 April 2014|access-date=23 April 2014|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|publisher=BBC Sport}} On 7 July 2014, Sinkala was loaned again from Mazembe, this time to Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zürich.{{cite web|url=http://www.gcz.ch/news/gc-news/news/nathan-sinkala-bis-ende-jahr-bei-gc/|title=Sinkala until the end of the year|date=7 July 2014|access-date=7 July 2014|publisher=gcz.ch|language=de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140710190046/http://www.gcz.ch/news/gc-news/news/nathan-sinkala-bis-ende-jahr-bei-gc/|archive-date=10 July 2014}}
=Stellenbosch=
In January 2020, he moved to Stellenbosch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.themastonline.com/2020/01/30/sinkala-joins-stellenbosch/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131124119/https://www.themastonline.com/2020/01/30/sinkala-joins-stellenbosch/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=31 January 2020|title=Sinkala joins Stellenbosch|work=The Mast Online}}
=Zambia=
In December 2022 he was reported as signing a six-month deal with SC Kfar Kasem in Israel. However, he returned to Zambia and ZESCO United in January 2023.{{cite news|url=https://zambianfootball.co.zm/zambian-legend-returns-to-israel-on-a-short-term-deal/|title=Zambian legend returns to Israel on a short term deal|publisher=ZamFoot|date=December 14, 2022|access-date=2 September 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://zambianfootball.co.zm/nathan-sinkala-joins-zesco-united/|title=Nathan Sinkala joins ZESCO United|publisher=ZamFoot|date=January 31, 2023|access-date=2 September 2023}}
International career
Sinkala made his international debut for Zambia in 2011,{{NFT|45848|accessdate=2 September 2023}} and participated at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16485633|title=Zambia's Given Singuluma dropped for Nations Cup|date=10 January 2012|author=Kennedy Gondwe|publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=http://www.izimbabwe.co.zw/news/sport/item/9309-teenage-striker-to-feature-for-zambia-in-african-cup.html|title=Teenage striker to feature for Zambia in African Cup|date=11 January 2012|publisher=iZimbabwe.co.zw|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120905224359/http://www.izimbabwe.co.zw/news/sport/item/9309-teenage-striker-to-feature-for-zambia-in-african-cup.html|archivedate=5 September 2012}} He was called up to Zambia's 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20957221|title=Nations Cup 2013: Champions Zambia name final 23|date=9 January 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}}
In October 2013, due to a disagreement between their club TP Mazembe and the Zambian Football Association over international call-ups, Sinkala and two other players (Rainford Kalaba and Stoppila Sunzu) were the subject of a Zambian arrest warrant.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24537474|title=Zambia internationals: Arrest warrants issued for trio|date=15 October 2013|accessdate=15 October 2013|author=Ian Hughes|publisher=BBC Sport}} All three players later had their passports confiscated by Zambian immigration authorities,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24582106|title=Zambia confiscate Kalaba, Sinkala and Sunzu's passports|date=19 October 2013|accessdate=21 October 2013|author=Kennedy Gondwe and Ian Hughes|publisher=BBC Sport}} before being pardoned by the Zambian government.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24630130|title=Kalaba, Sunzu & Sinkala pardoned by Zambian government|date=22 October 2013|accessdate=24 October 2013|author=Kennedy Gondwe|publisher=BBC Sport}}
In December 2014 he was named as part of Zambia's preliminary squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30597231|title=Nations Cup 2015: Katongo overlooked for Zambia squad|date=24 December 2014|accessdate=27 December 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}} He was injured in his country's opening game in the tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30883016|title=Afcon 2015: Zambia's Sinkala ruled out of tournament|date=19 January 2015|accessdate=19 January 2015|publisher=BBC Sport}}
Personal life
He is the younger brother of Andrew Sinkala.
Career statistics
:Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sinkala goal.
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"|1 | 6 September 2013 | Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana | {{fb|GHA}} | align="center"|1–2 | align="center"|1–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| align="center"|2 | 6 June 2014 | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States | {{fb|JPN}} | align="center"|2–0 | align="center"|3–4 | Friendly |
| align="center"|3 | 27 May 2015 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa | {{fb|GHA}} | align="center"|3–0 | align="center"|3–0 | 2015 COSAFA Cup |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Zambia squads
| bg = #008000
| fg = #FFFFFF
| bordercolor = #FF8000
| list1 =
{{Zambia squad 2012 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Zambia squad 2013 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Zambia squad 2015 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinkala, Nathan}}
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Zambian men's footballers
Category:21st-century Zambian sportsmen
Category:Zambia men's international footballers
Category:CAF Champions League–winning players
Category:Swiss Super League players
Category:Green Buffaloes F.C. players
Category:FC Sochaux-Montbéliard players
Category:Grasshopper Club Zurich players
Category:Stellenbosch F.C. players
Category:ZESCO United F.C. players
Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
Category:2012 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2013 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2015 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:Zambian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Zambian expatriate sportspeople in Israel
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Israel
Category:Zambian expatriate sportspeople in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Category:Zambian expatriate sportspeople in France
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France
Category:Zambian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
Category:Zambian expatriates in South Africa
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in South Africa
{{Zambia-footy-bio-stub}}