Fulutudilu celebrates Mandela Day in style

Banyana Banyana striker Ode Fulutudilu, once a child refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrated Mandela Day with a Player of the Match performance in Finland on Saturday. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Banyana Banyana striker Ode Fulutudilu, once a child refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrated Mandela Day with a Player of the Match performance in Finland on Saturday. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

Published Jul 21, 2020

Share

Banyana Banyana striker Ode Fulutudilu, once a child refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrated Mandela Day with a Player of the Match performance in Finland on Saturday.

Fulutudilu imposed herself on the match with an assertive display and was at the heart of Aland United’s 2-1 win in a premier women’s football league match in Finland. She did not score but was a constant threat in front of the opposition goal and was credited with one assist.

She played for Banyana Banyana in last year’s Women’s World Cup in France.

Saturday’s accolade was another personal triumph in the emotional journey of Fulutudilu who arrived in South Africa as a four-year-old with her father from war-torn DRC. She was later placed in a Johannesburg children’s home after her father returned to the DRC because he could not find work during the two years he was in South Africa.

The girls at the children’s home were exposed to soccer and very soon Fulutudilu was proving to be a star. A British missionary working there began fostering her, and she flourished as a person.

In an interview in France last year, Fulutudilu said while she was living at the children’s home she experienced one of the greatest moments of her life after she heard the news that she had been granted SA citizenship.

Influential people at the home started raising funds for her to go abroad to start a career as a soccer player, and thanks to their efforts, she landed a scholarship at Lee University, a private Christian university in Tennessee, USA.

During her stay there she ended up playing for the university soccer team. After she graduated, she played another US outfit Lolvido Rapids before moving on to Australia where she played for AIS FC.

On her return to South Africa, she played in the SA Women’s Football League and had stints with two Cape Town clubs.

Her impressive form earned her a call-up to Banyana Banyana for the 2014 African Women’s Championship in Namibia where she made her debut at 24.

Fulutudilu’s next break came in 2018 when she was signed by Oulu Nice Soccer (ONS), a team playing in Finland’s women’s premier division. There she bagged 15 goals in 22 matches.

Next, in 2019, Spanish club, Málaga CF Femenino came along with an offer which she accepted.

After the World Cup France, she returned to Finland to take up a contract with Aland United.

IOL Sport

Related Topics: