Zola Kiniambi

{{Short description|Congolese footballer (born 1970)}}

{{morefootnotes|date=July 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Zola Kiniambi

| image = Zola Kiniambi.JPG

| caption = Kiniambi as Technical director of Tuen Mun in 2013

| full_name = Kiniambi Zola Aloyi

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|6|26|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kikwit, Zaire

| height = 1.75 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Tuen Mun (technical director)

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1994–1995

| years2 = 1996

| years3 = 1997–2000

| years4 = 1998

| years5 = 2001–2003

| years6 = 2005–2006

| years7 = 2007

| years8 = 2008

| clubs1 = Vita

| clubs2 = Gençlerbirliği

| clubs3 = Yanbian Aodong

| clubs4 = → Tianjin Teda (loan)

| clubs5 = Chongqing Lifan

| clubs6 = Yanbian FC

| clubs7 = Chongqing Lifan

| clubs8 = Yanbian FC

| caps1 = ?

| caps2 = 3

| caps3 = 65

| caps4 = 16

| caps5 = 73

| caps6 = 43

| caps7 = 15

| caps8 = 13

| goals1 = ?

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 12

| goals4 = 13

| goals5 = 7

| goals6 = 13

| goals7 = 1

| goals8 = 3

| totalcaps = 225

| totalgoals = 60

| nationalyears1 = 1996

| nationalteam1 = Zaire

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2009–2013

| managerclubs1 = Yanbian (assistant coach)

| manageryears2 = 2013–

| managerclubs2 = Tuen Mun (technical director)

}}

Zola Kiniambi Aloyi (born 26 June 1970) is a Congolese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is the only foreign player who played in Chinese football league for more than 10 years.{{Cite web |last=Strack-Zimmermann |first=Benjamin |title=Zola Kiniambi (Player) |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/66975/Zola_Kiniambi.html |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=www.national-football-teams.com |language=en}}

Club career

Kiniambi was born in Kikwit. He moved to China in 1997. He joined Jia A club Yanbian Aodong and scored six goals in his first season in the Chinese league.

He was loaned to Jia B club Tianjin Teda and scored 13 goals in 16 games in the 1998 season.

Chongqing Lifan sighed Kiniambi in 2001.

At the beginning of season 2005, he returned to Yanbian FC.

After he retired in 2008, he became a coach and interpreter for Yanbian FC.

The Chinese Football Association honored his outstanding 10-year service with a medal.{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/b/2006-10-23/11272524186.shtml|title = 左拉驰骋中国足坛十年之载 进球谢幕接受足协特别奖_国内足坛-甲B_Nike新浪竞技风暴_新浪网}}

In the 2013–14 season, Hong Kong First Division League club Tuen Mun appointed Zola as the technical director of the club.

International career

He played in the African Nations Cup 1996 as a midfielder.

Personal life

Kiniambi lives in Yanbian, China and has two children, both at school.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

References

{{Reflist}}