Itumeleng Khune (born 20 June 1987 in Tshing, Ventersdorp) is an award-winning South African footballer. He plays the position of a goalkeeper for his team in PSL, Kaizer Chiefs, and the SA National team.
On both teams, Itumeleng is the captain, he caught the attention of soccer lovers both home and abroad on 1 December 2007. He walked into the spotlight for making three (3) penalty saves against Mamelodi Sundowns.
He stopped the goal attempt from Esrom Nyandoro and Peter Ndlovu in the Telkom Knockout final.
He is also the second goalie in the FIFA World Cup history to be asked to leave the pitch. This happened in June 2010 in a football match against Uruguay.
Flexibility is a skill a few goalkeepers possess and this goalie has loads of other skills. Khune kept football lovers after he performed a Rene Higuita scorpion kick save on October 28, 2015. The save earned him and his team a league victory over Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Profile
| Name | Itumeleng Khune |
| Born | 20 June 1987 (age 34 years) Tshing, Ventersdorp, North West |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | South African |
| Birthday | June 20 |
| Wife | Sphelele Makhunga |
| Daughter | Amogelang Zenande Khune |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Position | Goalkeeper |
| Team | Kaizer Chiefs, National team |
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Number | 32 |
Background
His date of birth is on 20 June 1987 and the place of birth is in Tshing, Ventersdorp, North West. Itumeleng Khune is 34 years old. He was born into the family of Elias Khune (father) and Flora Khune (mother). The goalie is a brother to five (5) siblings.
His father also loved the game of football. Though he was a driver at a mine in Carletonville, his father also was a football striker in an amateur football team.
Itumeleng is an older brother to Lucky Khune who was is also a football player. He plays for a team in Premier Soccer League (PSL), Chippa United.
Education
Itumeleng studied at New Nation, Westridge, St Barnabas, and RW Fick High Schools. His fast reflexes and flexible skills as a goalkeeper is loved by many lovers of the game. Many anticipate what save he would make next.
Wife
Itumeleng Khune is married to Sphelele Makhunga, a popular South African model. The couple became husband and wife in 2017 and three years into the marriage their love grow stronger. The couple is still serving some serious relationship goals.
They are proud parents of a baby girl, Amogelang Zenande Khune. Though Itumeleng is ten years older than his wife.
House
Itu Khune lives in a very luxurious house. A few years back, the goalie got a new house. At the time he got his house, his then-fiancée had a fatal car crash. Following his post, the popular football player left his old house for a new one.
Football Career
He began his professional football career as a defender. In 1999, he came to Chiefs for trials. Following the chest problems he experienced in a junior game, he became a ball boy.
Khune made his first appearance in the PSL game in a match against Jomo Cosmos in August 2007.
In the 2013-14 football season, he took home the Goalkeeper of the Year award. This records the second time he is receiving the award in a row.
In September 2014, he was diagnosed with a Grade 3 stress fracture. Earlier, he suffered since February the same year.
In June 2015, following the end of his contract with Kaizer Chief, it was not renewed. On 30 July the same year, Khune returned to the team, Chiefs, upon signing a new contract following a long period of negotiations.
In March 2008, he made his debut appearance on the Bafana Bafana’s squad against the African Nations Cup (2008). Though he had been a part of the squad but did not appear in the field.
In the FIFA Confederations Cup, he was the SA’s team’s first-choice goalie in 2009.
He represented the country’s team in all the tournaments of the African Cup of Nations (2013).
The same year, in May, he was chosen to be the team’s captain and was the team’s captain during the 2014 African Nations Championship.
He was appointed among the SA’s overage players against the Summer Olympics in 2016. Khune played a notable role in South African’s opening match draw match against Brazil.
In the match, he prevented the star player Neymar from scoring several goals with amazing saves.
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