Benedict Vilakazi (soccer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benedict Bongani Vilakazi | ||
| Date of birth | August 9, 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Soweto, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Diepkloof Hellenic | |||
| Orlando Pirates | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2007 | Orlando Pirates | 170 | (58) |
| 2007–2008 | AaB Aalborg | 5 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 37 | (4) |
| 2011 | → Mpumalanga Black Aces (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Black Leopards | 4 | (0) |
| 2013 | Malanti Chiefs | ||
| 2013 | Notwane FC | ||
| 2013– | Botswana Meat Commission | ||
| National team‡ | |||
| 2002–2007 | South Africa | 31 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 19, 2012. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 19, 2011 |
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Benedict Vilakazi (born August 9, 1982 in Soweto, Gauteng) is a South African football (soccer) player who plays as a midfielder for Botswana Meat Commission in Botswana. He has been noted as one of the smallest current professional international footballers (standing at a mere 1.57 m) but makes up for this with a strong physical presence.
He was born in Diepkloof, Soweto and is nicknamed "Tso" and "Little Napoleon" due to his leading skills.
Vilakaz played for South Africa at the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt. His professional career was rocked by sex scandals with juveniles including being dragged to court on allegation of statutory rape. He was however acquitted of the charge as it was alleged that it was with consent. The complainant has since given birth to his son. He publicly apologised to soccer fans after his acquittal. The sex scandal also prohibited him going through with his move to the Swedish side Djurgården that was supposed to go through right before the scandal hit.
On July 27, 2007, he was transferred to Danish Superliga club Aalborg BK. He was given a 5-year contract. Due to sickness he had not adjusted to the European style of football, and therefore he played only a few games in the Danish league. Vilakazi returned to South Africa July 2008, signing a contract with Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns, where he was also joined by former FC Copenhagen striker Sibusiso Zuma. After not making an impact at Sundowns, Vilakazi was loaned out to Mpumalanga Black Aces for the 2010–11 PSL season. However, Vilakazi had a fallout with Black Aces' management due to missing several training sessions and other disciplinary problems. Consequently, the Sundowns did not renew his contract after its expiration at the end of the 2010–11 season.
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