Surprise Moriri is a retired South African professional footballer who was born on 20 June 1980 in Mokopane, Limpopo Province. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club. In this biography, we will take a detailed look at his life and career, including his early life, professional career, and personal life.
Early Life and Career
Surprise Moriri grew up in a small town in Limpopo Province called Mokopane. He started playing football at a young age and was quickly noticed for his talent on the field. Moriri played for a local team called Silver Stars, where he caught the attention of scouts from Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
Professional Career
Mamelodi Sundowns
In 2004, Moriri joined Mamelodi Sundowns and quickly established himself as one of the key players in the team. He was known for his technical ability, vision, and goal-scoring prowess. Moriri helped Mamelodi Sundowns win numerous trophies during his time at the club, including the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title, the Telkom Knockout, and the Nedbank Cup.
In 2007, Moriri was named the PSL Footballer of the Year, and he also won the PSL Players’ Player of the Year award. He was a regular member of the South African national team during this period and played a key role in the team’s campaign to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Moriri spent 14 seasons at Mamelodi Sundowns, a South African professional football club based in Pretoria. During this time, he established himself as one of the key players in the team and helped the club win numerous trophies. Here is a detailed timeline of Moriri’s career at Mamelodi Sundowns:
- 2004: Moriri joins Mamelodi Sundowns from Silver Stars, a football club based in the North West province of South Africa. He quickly establishes himself as a key player in the team, scoring his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Wits University.
- 2005: Moriri helps Mamelodi Sundowns win the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title, scoring six goals in 29 appearances.
- 2006: Moriri is instrumental in helping Mamelodi Sundowns reach the final of the CAF Champions League, but the team loses to Al Ahly of Egypt in the final. He also helps the team win the Telkom Knockout, scoring a goal in the final against Silver Stars.
- 2007: Moriri has a standout year, scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances and winning the PSL Footballer of the Year and PSL Players’ Player of the Year awards. He also helps Mamelodi Sundowns reach the final of the CAF Confederation Cup, but the team loses to Club Africain of Tunisia in the final.
- 2008-2009: Moriri helps Mamelodi Sundowns win the Nedbank Cup, scoring a crucial goal in the final against Thanda Royal Zulu. He also scores six goals in 28 appearances in the PSL.
- 2010: Moriri helps Mamelodi Sundowns win the Telkom Knockout, scoring a goal in the final against Kaizer Chiefs. He is also a regular member of the South African national team during this period.
- 2012-2013: Moriri is less of a regular in the Mamelodi Sundowns starting lineup during this season, but he still makes valuable contributions to the team. He scores five goals in 23 appearances in the PSL.
- 2014: Moriri helps Mamelodi Sundowns win the PSL title, scoring three goals in 21 appearances. He also reaches the milestone of 300 appearances for the club.
- 2016: Moriri helps Mamelodi Sundowns win the CAF Champions League, scoring a crucial goal in the final against Zamalek of Egypt. He also helps the team win the PSL title, scoring four goals in 22 appearances.
- 2017: Moriri plays a key role in helping Mamelodi Sundowns win the PSL title for the second year in a row, scoring three goals in 22 appearances.
- 2018: Moriri announces his retirement from professional football on May 1, 2018, at the age of 37. He finishes his career at Mamelodi Sundowns having made 358 appearances and scored 78 goals in all competitions.
Throughout his career at Mamelodi Sundowns, Moriri was highly respected by his teammates, coaches, and fans for his technical ability, vision, and leadership on the field. He was a key member of some of the most successful Mamelodi Sundowns teams in history and will be remembered as one of the greatest players to have ever played for the club.
International Career
Moriri made 34 appearances for the South African National Football Team, also known as Bafana Bafana, between 2004 and 2010. Here is a detailed timeline of his career with the national team:
- 2004: Moriri makes his debut for the South African national team in a friendly match against Burkina Faso. He scores his first goal for the team in the same game, helping Bafana Bafana to a 3-0 victory.
- 2005: Moriri is part of the South African squad that competes in the 2005 Confederations Cup, hosted by Germany. He plays in all three of South Africa’s matches in the tournament, which includes a 2-1 victory over Denmark.
- 2006: Moriri is included in the South African squad that competes in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Germany. He makes two appearances in the tournament, both as a substitute, as South Africa fails to progress beyond the group stage.
- 2007: Moriri helps South Africa reach the quarterfinals of the 2007 African Cup of Nations, held in Ghana. He scores a goal in a 3-1 victory over Senegal in the group stage.
- 2008: Moriri is part of the South African squad that competes in the 2008 African Cup of Nations, held in Ghana. He makes four appearances in the tournament, scoring a goal in a 3-1 victory over Angola in the quarterfinals.
- 2009: Moriri is part of the South African squad that competes in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, hosted by South Africa. He plays in two of South Africa’s matches in the tournament, which includes a 2-0 victory over New Zealand.
- 2010: Moriri is included in the South African squad that competes in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by South Africa. He makes one appearance in the tournament, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 victory over France in the group stage.
Throughout his career with the South African national team, Moriri was highly respected by his coaches and teammates for his technical ability, vision, and leadership on the field. He played an important role in helping South Africa compete in major international tournaments and will be remembered as one of the best players to have represented the country.
Retirement
Surprise Moriri announced his retirement from professional football on 1 May 2018, at the age of 37. He had spent 14 seasons with Mamelodi Sundowns and scored 78 goals in 358 appearances.
Personal Life
Surprise Moriri is married to his wife Lerato and has three children. He is a devout Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith and how it has helped him throughout his career. Moriri is also known for his philanthropic work and has been involved in numerous charitable initiatives over the years.
