| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tonton Zola Moukoko | ||
| Date of birth | 22 December 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, Zaire | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Playing position | Central midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Atlantis FC | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1999 | Djurgården | ||
| 1999–2000 | Derby County | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2002 | Derby County | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Carlstad United | 43 | (6) |
| 2007–2008 | IK Sleipner | 8 | (0) |
| 2009 | Syrianska KF | ||
| 2009– | Atlantis FC | 22 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:03, 6 August 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Tonton Zola Moukoko (born 22 December 1983) is a Congolese-born Swedish footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Atlantis FC.
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Moukoko arrived in Sweden aged seven[1] or nine[2] with his brother Fedo, after they were orphaned.[2] He began playing with Djurgården's youth teams and came to be considered one of the most talented young players in Sweden.[2][3] Moukoko was granted Swedish citizenship in Autumn 1998 and was immediately called into the Sweden U16 squad.[3]
At the time many of Europe's leading clubs were interested in signing Moukoko[1][3] and in April 1999 he trained with Bologna FC[4] and Empoli.[5]
Moukoko joined Derby County as a 15-year-old[1] and featured in the 1999–00 FA Youth Cup.[6] When he signed a professional contract upon turning 17 in December 2000, it was reported that he turned down a competing offer from AC Milan.[7] With Moukoko playing in the youths and reserves at Derby it was thought likely by fans[8] and Moukoko himself[1] that he would break into the first team. However, early in the 2002–03 season[9] he returned to Sweden after suffering family problems[2] and falling out with club management over his study arrangements.[1]
Moukoko trained with Hammarby IF[10] and then spent summer 2003 on trial with Falkirk FC. After he scored in a 3-0 pre-season friendly win over Queen's Park FC on 7 July 2003, the Scottish club's manager John Hughes was reported to have said: "I thought Ton Ton [sic] was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, if you had caught him in training the other day, you couldn't kick his backside, and he's a flying machine. Ton Ton [sic] lightens the place up, he is a great wee smiler and takes pelters from the boys for his hairstyles, but he is a really good kid."[11]
England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson and his assistant Tord Grip helped Moukoko to get a contract with Carlstad United BK in the Swedish football Division 2.[1][2] After a period of inactivity, he then signed a two year contract with IK Sleipner ahead of the 2007 season.[2] After the two years Moukoko began the 2009 season with Syrianska KF in Norrköping.[10]
Moukoko moved to the Finnish club Atlantis FC during the 2009 season.[10] He played in 10 games and failed to score as the club were relegated from the Ykkönen.[12]
Moukoko achieved fame through his depiction in Championship Manager, a computer game developed by Sports Interactive.[1][13] He is frequently telephoned by fans of the game,[14] who have also set up dedicated Facebook groups.[15]