Ariza Makukula

The son of Kuyangana Makukula, a Congolese footballer who played seven years in Portugal for four clubs, mainly Vitória de Setúbal, his mother being Portuguese,[1][2] Makukula was born in Kinshasa, then in Zaire. He moved to Portugal at age five to live in Matosinhos as his father played for Leixões S.C. and then to Setúbal after the transfer to Vitória, where he began in the youth ranks.[3]

After a spell at G.D. Chaves, Makukula concluded his development at Vitória de Guimarães, where he and César Peixoto were also loaned to nearby Brito SC. Through agent Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute company,[3] he transferred to begin his professional career in Spain for UD Salamanca and CD Leganés, scoring 20 goals with the former in the 2001–02 season – spent in the second division – second-best in the competition.[4]

While Mendes tried to get Makukula a transfer to teams including Juventus FC, he moved in the summer of 2002 to play with FC Nantes in France on his father's recommendation, having been educated Lycée français Charles Lepierre in Lisbon.[3] He split the campaign between the first team and the reserves and scoring one Ligue 1 goal to equalise in a 2–1 loss at AS Monaco FC on 11 September 2002.[5] He was subsequently loaned to Real Valladolid, netting eight times but suffering relegation from La Liga;[4] he opened his account in the Spanish top flight with two goals on 27 September 2003 away to RC Celta de Vigo, who recovered to win 3–2.[6] His season ended the following January through a knee injury, ruling him out for nearly a full year.[7]

Makukula was then bought in June 2004 by another side in the same league, Sevilla FC, for an estimated €3.5 million of which 10% went to Salamanca.[8] His new team beat their city rivals Real Betis to his signature.[9]

Due to his ongoing injury, Makukula did not debut for the Nervión club until 8 January 2005, when he came on as a 56th-minute substitute for Carlitos in a goalless home draw with Getafe CF, in which he was booked.[10][11] His first goal on 2 February was consolation in a 3–1 loss (4–3 aggregate) away to CA Osasuna in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals,[12] followed four days later with his only league goal in a 3–0 win at Levante UD.[13] On 24 February, he came on in the 79th minute at home to Panathinaikos F.C. as Sevilla trailed 1–0 from the first leg in the UEFA Cup last 32, and four minutes later scored in an eventual 2–0 win.[14]

In 2005–06, with Juande Ramos having replaced Joaquín Caparrós as manager, Makukula's injuries continued and he had to deal with the signings of fellow forwards Luís Fabiano, Javier Saviola and Frédéric Kanouté.[15] He played one game all season, namely 13 minutes and a yellow card in extra time in the UEFA Cup semi-final second leg against FC Schalke 04 on 27 April 2006, after Antonio Puerta had scored the only goal for the eventual champions.[16]

In August 2006, Makukula was loaned Gimnàstic de Tarragona, newly promoted to Spain's top flight.[17] He scored his only goal of 14 games on his sixth appearance on 15 October, coming off the bench in a 3–2 home loss to Athletic Bilbao;[18] on 27 May 2007, as his team lost 2–0 to Atlético Madrid to descend to the second division, he was sent off at the Nou Estadi de Tarragona.[19]

In July 2007, Makukula was loaned again to C.S. Marítimo in his adopted nation.[20] He made his debut on 18 August on the first day of the Primeira Liga season at home to F.C. Paços de Ferreira and scored twice in a 3–1 win;[21] on 2 September also at the Estádio do Marítimo he scored, was booked for his celebration and was sent off for violent conduct towards Paulo Sérgio all in the first seven minutes of a 2–0 victory against Académica de Coimbra.[22]

After seven top-flight goals in only 13 matches, Makukula transferred to S.L. Benfica for €3.5 million and four and a half years in late January 2008.[23] On 14 February, he scored the game's only goal in a home win against 1. FC Nürnberg in the UEFA Cup round of 32.[24]

Makukula was not used at all by Benfica in the first part of 2008–09. On 16 January 2009, after a move to West Bromwich Albion fell through,[3] he signed for fellow Premier League team Bolton Wanderers on loan until the end of the campaign with a view to a permanent move costing around £4.5 million in the summer.[25] He made his debut a day later against Manchester United, playing 64 minutes in a 0–1 home loss.[26]

On 11 August 2009, Makukula was loaned again, now to Süper Lig club Kayserispor in Turkey. He ended the season as the competition's top scorer, with eight goals more than the second player as his team finished eighth.[27]

In the very last minutes of the 2010 summer transfer window Makukula signed a three-year deal with another side in the country, Manisaspor, for €2 million.[28] He alleged that he was never paid there and,[3] in the summer of 2012, he agreed to a contract with another Turkish team, Karşıyaka S.K. in division two.[29] He was released in January of the following year, returning to his country of adoption after five years and joining Vitória de Setúbal.[30] Suffering with knee and meniscus injuries and disputes with the organisation, he cancelled the second year of his contract and did not request compensation for it.[3]

Makukula headed back abroad in September 2013, joining Super League Greece bottom team OFI Crete F.C. on a one-year deal with the option of a second.[31] The following February, he rescinded his contract at the club led by compatriot Ricardo Sá Pinto and joined BEC Tero Sasana F.C. in Thailand.[32] Disappointed by the facilities in Bangkok, he terminated his deal two months later. He returned to his birth country, and became sporting director and ambassador of their national team.[3]

Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Makukula goal.

International goal scored by Ariza Makukula

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 October 2007	Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan	Kazakhstan	1–0	2–1	Euro 2008 qualifying[35]