Itumeleng Khune
|
Khune before a match against Poland in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Itumeleng Isaac Khune | ||
| Date of birth | 20 June 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Ventersdorp, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2004 | Kaizer Chiefs | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2024 | Kaizer Chiefs | 286 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008–2020 | South Africa | 91 | (0) |
| 2016 | South Africa Olympic | 3 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 June 2023 | |||
Itumeleng Isaac Khune (born 20 June 1987) is a South African professional football player who most recently played as goalkeeper for Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League, and also the South African national team. He is often hailed as one of the best goalkeepers in South Africa, nicknamed "Mzansi's number one".
Khune shot to fame when he saved three penalties from Esrom Nyandoro and Peter Ndlovu against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout final on 1 December 2007. He is also well known for saving a David Villa penalty and proceeding to make a double save in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage match against Spain a day before his 22nd birthday on 20 June 2009. On 16 June 2010 against Uruguay, Khune became the second goalkeeper in the history of the FIFA World Cup to be sent off. He is also famous for performing a René Higuita scorpion kick save in a league victory over Mpumalanga Black Aces on 28 October 2015, which made rounds in England. Khune is known for his quick reflexes and his distribution which has been hailed as "the best you will see anywhere" by former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld.