Knowledge Musona (born 21 June 1990) is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a left winger or forward for Scottland. Musona, also captained the Zimbabwe national team prior to retiring from international football. Previously, he has played senior football in South Africa, Belgium and Germany.
Knowledge Musona hails from Norton, Mashonaland West and attended Lord Malvern High School in Harare. His younger brother Walter Musona is also a professional footballer.[2]
Musona began his senior career with South African club Kaizer Chiefs, where he scored in Chief's victory in the final of the 2009 Telkom Knockout.[3]
Musona made his debut for Hoffenheim as a substitute against SC Freiburg in a 3–1 win[4] and scored his first goal in a 2–1 DFB-Pokal win over Köln on 25 October 2011. On 18 May 2012, it was announced that he would join Augsburg on a one-year loan for the upcoming season.[5]
In July 2013, he left Germany and returned to Kaizer Chiefs on a loan deal. He scored eight goals in 19 league matches, including a vital goal which sent his team into the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.[6] Musona scored a hat trick in a 3–0 first-round, second-leg CAF Champions League victory over Liga Muculmana in Maputo on 6 March, progressing to the next round of the competition on a 7–0 aggregate scoreline after winning 4–0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium.[7] Musona suffered an ankle sprain in a 2–0 win over AS Vita Club in the CAF Champions League on 29 March 2014 where they lost 3–2 on aggregate. Musona ended the season with 16 goals in 25 starts in all competitions.[8] He attracted interest from clubs in Belgium, Germany and Roda of the Netherlands.[9] On 5 August, Musona started training with La Liga club, Granada.[10]
On 18 December 2014, Musona signed for Belgian club Oostende, effective 1 January 2015, with the player signing a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee. His agent Paschalis Tountouris stated that this move was the ideal step to revive his career.[11] He joined Andile Jali at the Belgian club.[12] He made his Belgian Pro League debut on 17 January 2015 in a 7–1 home defeat to K.V. Kortrijk. He was subbed off in the 67th minute, being replaced by Fernando Canesin.[13] He scored his first competitive goal for the club on 21 February 2015 in a 3–1 home defeat to Charleroi in the league. His goal, assisted by Elimane Coulibaly, was scored in the 77th minute.[14]
In May 2018, Musona moved to RSC Anderlecht, signing a four-year deal.[15][16][17] This came after reported interest from another Belgian side, Standard Liège.[18] He made his league debut for the club on the opening day of the season, coming on for Landry Dimata in the 86th minute of Anderlecht's 4–1 away victory over K.V. Kortrijk.[19] He scored his first competitive goal for the club on 26 August 2018 in a 2–1 away defeat to Club Brugge. His goal, assisted by Ivan Santini, was scored in the 19th minute and levelled the scores at one.[20][21][22]
In January 2019, Musona was loaned out to Lokeren until the end of the 2018–19 season.[23][24][25][26] He made his league debut for the club on 19 January 2019, playing all ninety minutes of a 4–1 away defeat to Eupen.[27] He scored his first league goal for the club on 9 February 2019 in a 2–1 home victory over Royal Antwerp. His goal, assisted by Marko Mirić, was scored in the 32nd minute.[28][29][30]
On 4 June 2023, Musona joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Riyadh on a free transfer.[31] On 11 August 2024, Musona joined Al-Okhdood on a free transfer.[32]
Musona made his national team debut in a friendly against South Africa on 3 March 2010.[34] He is often considered to be one of the finest strikers to ever come out of Zimbabwe. At the 2017 African Cup of Nations, he scored a goal against Tunisia, beating two defenders and smashing the ball beyond the goalkeeper. On 11 June 2017, he scored a hat trick to join other Zimbabwean hat trick heroes like the legendary Peter Ndlovu and Vitalis Takawira. Musona announced his retirement from international football in 2022.
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Kaizer Chiefs | 2009–10[35] | South African Premiership | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11[35] | 28 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 49 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 19 | ||||
| 1899 Hoffenheim | 2011–12[35] | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| FC Augsburg (loan) | 2012–13[35] | Bundesliga | 14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Kaizer Chiefs (loan) | 2013–14[35] | South African Premiership | 19 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3[c] | 5 | 3[d] | 0 | 29 | 16 |
| Oostende | 2014–15[36] | Belgian Pro League | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||
| 2015–16[36] | 35 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 13 | |||||
| 2016–17[36] | 29 | 10 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 1[e] | 0 | 33 | 13 | ||||
| 2017–18[36] | 24 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | 2[f] | 1 | — | 28 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 103 | 35 | 6 | 5 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 122 | 41 | |||
| Anderlecht | 2018–19[36] | Belgian Pro League | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[f] | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| Lokeren | 2018–19[36] | Belgian Pro League | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | – | – | 6 | 1 | |||
| Eupen | 2019–20[35] | Belgian Pro League | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 7 | 2 | |||
| 2020–21[35] | 24 | 7 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 26 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 31 | 9 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 33 | 9 | |||||
| Al-Tai | 2021–22[35] | Saudi Pro League | 24 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 6 | |||
| 2022–23[35] | 29 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 30 | 9 | |||||
| Total | 53 | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 55 | 15 | |||||
| Al-Riyadh | 2023–24[35] | Saudi Pro League | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 4 | |||
| Al-Okhdood | 2024–25[35] | Saudi Pro League | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 326 | 93 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 356 | 110 | ||
| Zimbabwe | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 | 5 |
| 2012 | 5 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 52 | 25 |
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 5 September 2010 | SKD Sports Complex, Paynesville, Liberia |  Liberia |
1–0 |
1–1 |
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | 5 June 2011 | Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe |  Mali |
1–0 |
2–1 | |
| 3. | 2–1
| |||||
| 4. | 8 October 2011 | Estádio da Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde |  Cape Verde |
2–1 |
2–1
| |
| 5. | 15 November 2011 | Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe |  South Africa |
1–1 |
2–1 | Friendly |
| 6. | 2–1
| |||||
| 7. | 29 February 2012 | Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium, Bujumbura, Burundi |  Burundi |
1–1 |
1–2 |
2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 8. | 17 June 2012 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | 1–0 |
1–0
| ||
| 9. | 26 March 2013 | Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt |  Egypt |
1–1 |
2–1 |
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10. | 9 June 2013 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | 1–1 |
4–2
| ||
| 11. | 10 September 2013 | Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa |
1–0 |
2–1 |
Friendly |
| 12. | 6 September 2015 | Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe |  Guinea |
1–1 |
1–1 |
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 13. | 28 March 2016 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe |  Swaziland |
1–0 |
4–0
| |
| 14. | 5 June 2016 |  Malawi |
1–0 |
3–0
| ||
| 15. | 13 November 2016 |  Tanzania |
1–0 |
3–0 |
Friendly | |
| 16. | 23 January 2017 | Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville, Gabon |  Tunisia |
1–3 |
2–4 |
2017 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 17. | 11 June 2017 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | Liberia |
1–0 |
3–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 18. | 2–0
| |||||
| 19. | 3–0
| |||||
| 20. | 13 October 2018 | Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo |  DR Congo |
2–0 |
2–1
| |
| 21. | 24 March 2019 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe |  Congo |
2–0 |
2–0
| |
| 22. | 16 November 2020 |  Algeria |
1–2 |
2–2 |
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 23. | 9 October 2021 | Cape Coast Sports Stadium, Cape Coast, Ghana |  Ghana |
1–1 |
1–3 |
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 24. | 18 January 2022 | Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon | Guinea |
1–0 |
2–1 |
2021 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 25. | 20 March 2025 | Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa |  Benin |
2–2 |
2–2 |
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Zimbabwe squads | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||
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