Ignace Moleka
Encyclopedia
Nzoko Ignace “Iggy” Moleka is a retired Zaire football (soccer)
midfielder
who played professionally in the United States and Japan.
In 1991, Moleka received a sholarship to play soccer at Florida International University
. He left FIU at the end of the season. In 1993, he played for Topaz Haiti, a selection of top players from the Haitian league, in the Miami Copa Latina. In 1994, he played for the Haitian Internationals. He also played for the Florida Stars
in the USISL. In 1994, Moleka returned to FIU to finish his collegiate career. In 1996, he was selected as a First Team All American while the Golden Panthers finished runner-up in the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship. In 1997, Moleka moved to Japan where he played for Albirex Niigata
in the third division Hokushin'etsu. Moleka and his team mates won promotion to the second division Japanese Football League for the 1998 season. In the fall of 1999, Moleka returned to the United States where he played for the amateur Orlando Soccer Locker. Moleka signed with the Atlanta Silverbacks
for the 1999 USL A-League season. He retired from playing in 2002, but remained with the Silverbacks where he has held a variety of positions including youth coach.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who played professionally in the United States and Japan.
In 1991, Moleka received a sholarship to play soccer at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. He left FIU at the end of the season. In 1993, he played for Topaz Haiti, a selection of top players from the Haitian league, in the Miami Copa Latina. In 1994, he played for the Haitian Internationals. He also played for the Florida Stars
Florida Stars
The Florida Stars were an American soccer team based in North Miami, Florida that played in the USISL. The club moved to the USISL Pro League in 1995.-Year-by-year:...
in the USISL. In 1994, Moleka returned to FIU to finish his collegiate career. In 1996, he was selected as a First Team All American while the Golden Panthers finished runner-up in the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship. In 1997, Moleka moved to Japan where he played for Albirex Niigata
Albirex Niigata
is a Japanese J. League Division 1 association football team. Despite the club's relative youth, only joining the J. League in 1999, Albirex are one of Japan's best supported teams. In 2003, while still playing in the second tier of Japanese football , Albirex attracted the best average crowd in...
in the third division Hokushin'etsu. Moleka and his team mates won promotion to the second division Japanese Football League for the 1998 season. In the fall of 1999, Moleka returned to the United States where he played for the amateur Orlando Soccer Locker. Moleka signed with the Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...
for the 1999 USL A-League season. He retired from playing in 2002, but remained with the Silverbacks where he has held a variety of positions including youth coach.