Leon Manyisa
Personal information
Full name Leon Mongi Manyisa
Date of birth (1999-01-03) 3 January 1999
Place of birth Lobamba, Eswatini
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Mbabane Swallows
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017– Vovovo
2019 → Manzini Wanderers (loan)
2019 → Van (loan) 1 (0)
2020–2022 → Mbabane Swallows (loan)
International career‡
2018 Eswatini U20 2 (1)
2022– Eswatini 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:08, 16 July 2022 (UTC)

Leon Manyisa (born 3 January 1999) is a Liswati footballer who plays for Premier League of Eswatini club Mbabane Swallows and the Eswatini national team.[1]

Club career

As a youth Manyisa was part of the Green Mamba Development Academy.[2] He began his senior career with Vovovo FC of the Premier League of Eswatini. In 2018 he was spotted by a Real Madrid scout in Eswatini. He was invited to a trial with the club's "B" team. After impressing at the first trial, he was invited back but could not attend because of visa issues. In late 2019 it was reported that Manyisa was still a target of the Spanish club.[3][4][5]

In Summer 2019 Manyisa’s parent club placed a E150 000 price tag on him as it was relegated to the National First Division for the upcoming season.[6] The team’s E150 000–200 000 valuation made him one of the most valuable players in the country.[7] By June 2019 Manyisa was reportedly close to signing for a top Malaysia Super League club with only a few details still being finalized.[8]

Ultimately for the 2019/20 season, he moved to Manzini Wanderers of the Eswatini Premier League on a season-long loan from Vovovo after a permanent deal could not be reached with Real Madrid or the Malaysian club. After playing in only the first few matches of the season, Manyisa was signed by FC Van of the Armenian First League in September. On 29 August 2019 the Armenian club triggered a release clause that allowed the player to leave for a club abroad.[9] Despite signing a two-year contract, he returned home two months later. The player claimed contractual commitments were not met by the club while the club claimed the player left because of family issues.[10] The player was also reportedly a victim of racial abuse by some team officials.[11] In total he played in only four matches for Van, tallying an assist against FC Ani in his final appearance.[12] Manyisa was ruled ineligible to play by the Eswatini Football Association for a time until multiple official paperwork issues related to the transfers were sorted.[13][9]

Manyisa went on trial with Highlands Park F.C. of the South African Premier Division in December 2019.[14] The South African club was reportedly close to signing the player despite interest from high-profile domestic clubs.[15] Despite a successful trial and a desire by Highlands Park to sign the player, the deal could not be finalized because the situation with FC Van and the player’s International Transfer Certificate had not yet been resolved.[16]

In early 2020 the EFA ruled that Manyisa could return to play at the beginning of the 2020-21 season.[17] In July 2020 the player attracted interest from Mbabane Highlanders and Manzini Wanderers but joined Mbabane Swallows on a one-year loan from Vovovo for E70 000. The deal reportedly paid Manyisa E7 500 monthly.[18][13] Four months later he went on trial with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila F.C., another South African Premier Division club.[19] By the time the 2020–21 season resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic, Manyisa was back playing with Mbabane Swallows.[1]

International career

Manyisa was first involved in with the Eswatini national team program at age 6, at which point he played with the under-13 side.[3] In March 2018 he was part of Eswatini's under-20 squad for a home-and-away series against Malawi in the first round of 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualification. He scored his team's only goal in the series in the second leg, but Eswatini was eliminated on the away goals rule.[20]

In November 2019 Manyisa was set to be part of the Eswatini squad for two 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification matches against Mozambique but had to withdraw to attend his trial with Real Madrid.[21]

Manyisa received his first call-up to the senior national team in September 2019 for Eswatini's second-leg 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier at home against Djibouti.[22] However, he did not go on to feature in the match.[23]

Manyisa was called up again in May 2022 for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification[24] and again in July of that year for the 2022 COSAFA Cup.[25] He made his senior international debut on 6 July in the team's opening match of the latter tournament, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 victory over Mauritius.[26] Later that month he was included in the roster for a two-leg series against Botswana in 2022 African Nations Championship qualification.[27]

International career statistics

As of match played 15 July 2022[28]
Eswatini national team
YearAppsGoals
202240
Total40

References

  1. 1 2 Xuba, Jongile. "'TT' Brace Sink Peacemakers". Eswatini Observer. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  2. ↑ Jele, Sanele. "Manyisa on Birds Radar". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 "The Eswatini teenage footballer on Real Madrid's radar". British Broadcasting Company. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Manyisa attracts Real Madrid interest". kickoff.com. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "Real Madrid Keeping Eye On Eswatini Youngster". soccerladuma.com. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Dlamini, Chris. "Highlander' E30 000 Leon Manyisa Offer". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  7. ↑ Nzima, Ashmond. "Vovovo Want E150 000 for U-20s Star Manyisa". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Jele, Sanele. "Malaysia Move for Manyisa". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  9. 1 2 Mlotsa, Melusi. "EFA Wrongfully Cleared Manyisa to Armenia". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  10. ↑ Jele, Sanele. "Manyisa has Valid Card with FC Van". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  11. ↑ Mlotsa, Melusi. "Manyisa Racially Abuse". Eswatini Observer. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  12. ↑ Mlotsa, Melusi. "Wanderers Blunder". Eswatini Observer. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Manyisa a "Bird"". The World News. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  14. ↑ Leng, Claudio. "Leon Manyisa set to join Highlands Park after Real Madrid stint". Briefly. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  15. ↑ "PSL Club To Win Race For Real Target?". soccerladuma.com. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  16. ↑ Fakude, Ernest. "Manyisa's Highlands move hits snag". kickoff.com. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  17. ↑ Jele, Senele. "COVID-19 Might End My Career". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  18. ↑ Jele, Sanele. "One Year E70K 'Birds' Loan Deal for Manyisa". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  19. ↑ Xuba, Jongile. "Leon Manyisa at TTM Assessment". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  20. ↑ Jele, Sanele. "Swaziland Crashes Out of AFCON U-20 Qualifier". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  21. ↑ Magongo, Ntokozo. "Vovovo FC'S Leon Manyisa Off to Spain". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  22. ↑ Magongo, Ntokozo. "Manyisa, Sawa Join Sihlangu". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  23. ↑ "Eswatini 0 Djibouti 0". FIFA. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  24. ↑ "ESWATINI COACH RELEASES 26-MEMBER SQUAD FOR 2023 AFCON QUALIFIERS". Africa Top Sports. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  25. ↑ "DOMINIC ANNOUNCES COSAFA CUP FINAL SQUAD". Africa Press. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  26. ↑ Gwebu, Sabelo. "THREE-LING SIHLANGU". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  27. ↑ Magongo, Ntokozo. "COSAFA CUP TRIO DROPPED!". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  28. ↑ "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
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