Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 25 January 1994 | ||
Place of birth | Mangochi, Malawi | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Najaf SC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2012–2016 | Malawi Armed Forces College | ||
2017–2018 | Costa do Sol | 26 | (5) |
2018 | A.D. Sanjoanense | 4 | (0) |
2018–2019 | Costa do Sol | 20 | (2) |
2019–2022 | Baroka | 70 | (9) |
2022– | Al-Najaf SC | ||
International career‡ | |||
2017– | Malawi | 24 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 October 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 October 2020 |
Richard Mbulu (born 25 January 1994) is a Malawian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Iraqi side Al-Najaf SC. He was included in Malawi's squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[2]
Having started his career at Malawi Armed Forces College following his enlistment in the armed forces,[3] he joined Mozambican side Costa do Sol in December 2016.[4] He later moved to Portuguese side A.D. Sanjoanense before returning to Costa do Sol in the summer of 2018.[5] In the summer of 2019, Mbulu signed for South African side Baroka on a three-year deal.[6]
He was called up to the Malawi national football team for the first time in January 2017,[7] and made his debut for them on 10 June 2017 in a 1–0 win against Comoros.[1] He scored his first goal for Malawi on 4 September 2017 in a 1–0 win against Togo.[8] He scored the only goal of a 1–0 win against Uganda which allowed Malawi to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[9]
When Mbulu left school, he became a soldier but later decided to pursue a career in football. His father was also a footballer and a soldier.[3][10]