Luther Singh

Luther Wesley Singh, born 5 August 1997, is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Cypriot club AEL Limassol and the South Africa national team.

Prior to making his senior international debut in 2017, Singh represented the South Africa national under-20 team, with whom he won the Golden Boot award at the 2016 COSAFA Under-20 Championships and the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

Club career Early career Singh is an academy graduate of the famed South-African-based Stars of Africa football academy, which he joined at the age of 11 after being scouted by Farouk Khan. Through the academy, Singh was afforded the opportunity to train in Brazil at age 16, where he spent time with Vasco da Gama and Fluminense. In his first season with GAIS, Singh was employed as a winger and netted two goals in eight league appearances before his season was cut short through injury. For the 2016 campaign, he was converted into a forward and scored the first professional hat-trick of his career on 22 May 2016, in a 7-0 win over Ängelholm. In July, the player confirmed that the Real Madrid B side and Swansea had previously been in contact with Khan, as his agent, over a potential transfer. However, GAIS rejected these advances in a bid to hold on to Singh until his contract expired. In August 2016, Singh rejected a move to Serie A side Pescara, claiming better options would become available to him once he was a free-agent. He ultimately made 28 appearances for the Superettan season and scored 9 goals as GAIS ended the campaign in eighth place.

Braga Following the expiration of his contract with GAIS, Singh signed for the Portuguese Primeira Liga side Braga on 21 January 2017. There, he teamed up with the club's reserve side, which played in the LigaPro. He scored his first goal on 15 February 2017, netting the fifth in a 5–0 win over Vizela, and ultimately scored 14 goals in 52 appearances over the next season and a half.

Loan to Chaves In January 2019, Singh joined fellow Primeira Liga side Chaves on loan for the remainder of the season. On 3 January 2019, he made his debut for the club and was named man of the match for his performance in a 0–0 draw with Feirense. He ultimately scored twice in seventeen appearances, but Chaves suffered relegation at the end of the campaign.

Loan to Moreirense On 13 August 2019, he joined another Portuguese club, Moreirense, on a season-long loan.

Loan to Paços de Ferreira On 21 September 2020, he joined another Portuguese club, Paços de Ferreira, on a loan.

Copenhagen On 18 August 2021, Singh was picked up by perennial Danish frontrunner, F.C. Copenhagen, on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut on 22 August 2021, coming on as a substitute for Mohamed Daramy in the 80th minute of a 2–0 win over SønderjyskE. In the UEFA Europa Conference League game against PAOK on 21 October 2021, he came on as a half-time substitute but was subbed off again before the final whistle. He was heavily criticized for his performance, with Danish commentators during the game saying that "he looks like someone who ate three burgers before coming onto the pitch". He was hospitalised in November 2021 after falling ill, something his agent later attributed to depression after being subject to criticism.

Singh joined former club Chaves on a season-long loan on 24 August 2022.

Singh was released from his Copenhagen contract on 1 September 2023.

International career Under-20 Singh represented South Africa at the 2016 COSAFA Under-20 Championships and scored in the nation's 8-0 win over Lesotho during the group stage. After winning all three of their group stage matches, South Africa progressed to the semi-finals, where they beat Angola 5-0, with Singh netting a hat-trick. However, South Africa lost in the final, where an assist from Singh was not enough to prevent South Africa from losing 2-1 to Zambia. At the conclusion of the tournament, Singh was awarded the Golden Boot award for his tally of five goals throughout the competition. He scored once more against Senegal before South Africa were eliminated from the competition in the semi-finals, losing out again to eventual champions Zambia. Singh's tally of four goals for the tournament, coupled with two assists, earned him the Golden Boot award and a spot in the CAF Best XI. In May 2017, Singh was named in South Africa's 21-man squad for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.

Senior Following his impressive performances at the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, Singh was called up by interim manager Owen Da Gama to the senior national team in March 2017 for friendlies against Guinea-Bissau and Angola. Though an unused substitute in South Africa's 3–1 win over the former, he made his debut for the national team on 28 March 2017 against the latter, starting in a 0–0 draw. In 2018, he was named in Stuart Baxter's provisional squad for the 2018 COSAFA Cup before taking part in the 2019 edition, where he scored his first international goals against Botswana and Uganda, respectively.

Personal life Singh is of black South African and partial Indian descent through his Punjabi Sikh grandfather. He was raised in the Noordgesig township in Soweto. His father, uncle, and cousins all played football at an amateur or semi-pro level.

International

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Singh goal. + List of international goals scored by Luther Singh

South Africa U23 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations third place: 2019

Individual 2016 COSAFA Under-20 Championships: Golden Boot 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations: Golden Boot 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations: Team of the Tournament