Ashley Cupido

Ashley Cupido

Personal information
Date of birth	(2001-05-05) 5 May 2001 (age 23)
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Forward, winger
Team information
Current team	Stellenbosch
Number	9
Youth career
–2020	Ajax Cape Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2024	Cape Town Spurs	112	(30)
2024–	Stellenbosch	4	(1)
International career^‡
2022–	South Africa	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 October 2024

Ashley Cupido (born 5 May 2001) is a South African soccer player who plays as a forward for Stellenbosch in the South African Premier Division and South Africa internationally.[2]

He won a senior contract with Ajax Cape Town, as the club was named at the time, in 2020.[3] As the club severed ties with Ajax AFC and became Cape Town Spurs, Cupido established himself in the first team that avoided relegation to the Second Division[4] in both 2020–21 and 2022–22 and eventually contended for promotion to the Premier Division.

When Cupido scored double digits in the 2022-23 National First Division, there were rumours about joining a bigger team, whereas Cape Town Spurs would rather sell the player to Europe on a future date.[5] Transfer rumours continued after the "Urban Warriors" were promoted to the 2023-24 South African Premier Division, and were only mitigated by the Cape Town Spurs being relegated at the end of the season.

[6][7][8]

Cupido was capped for the first time in 2022, playing in a 2022 African Nations Championship qualification match against the Comoros.[9] He was later called up for the 2024 COSAFA Cup,[10] and featured in the first match against Mozambique.

One of Cupido's strengths is his top speed.[11]

In 2024, Cupido completed a move to Stellenbosch.

References

1. Ashley Cupido at National-Football-Teams.com
2. Ashley Cupido at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
3. Jones, Seraj (19 June 2020). "Senior kontrak vir Cupido is 'life-changing'" (in Afrikaans). Die Son. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
4. Mbebe, Sizwe (1 February 2023). "Month of Cupido: Spurs star is shooting allies in his sight". Daily Voice. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
5. Kohler, Lorenz (1 March 2023). "Chiefs, Pirates & Downs Interest In SA Sensation Clarified". iDiski Times. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
6. Gibbs, Herman (22 December 2023). "Cape Town Spurs' Ashley Cupido can put himself on Orlando Pirates Christmas list". IOL. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
7. Madyira, Michael (20 June 2024). "Why Cape Town Spurs' Ashley Cupido is on the transfer radar of Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates & Mamelodi Sundowns". Goal. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
8. Fakude, Ernest (23 May 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Cape Town Spurs striker puts in transfer request". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
9. Dindi, Sithembiso (30 July 2022). "Bafana one step away from qualifying for Chan". Sunday Times. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
10. "Mkhalele names final Bafana selection for Cosafa Cup". Super Sport. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
11. Benjamin, Junaid (18 April 2024). "PSL star that is faster than EPL big names". Kick Off. Retrieved 28 June 2024.