Joel Kabongo

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Joel Kabongo
Personal information
Full name Joel Zakarias Kabongo
Date of birth (1998-04-05) 5 April 1998 (age 23)
Place of birth Albertslund, Denmark
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 Randers
Number 4
Youth career
2003–2008 Albertslund IF
2008–2017 Brøndby
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Brøndby 15 (0)
2017 → Fremad Amager (loan) 10 (0)
2021– Randers 2 (0)
National team‡
2013 Denmark U16 1 (0)
2016 Denmark U18 4 (0)
2016–2017 Denmark U19 6 (0)
2018–2019 Denmark U21 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:32, 4 November 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:10, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

Joel Zakarias Kabongo (Danish pronunciation: [kʰæˈpʌŋko]; born 5 April 1998) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Danish Superliga club Randers FC.

Club career[]

Early career[]

Kabongo started playing for hometown club Albertslund IF before signing a youth contract with Brøndby IF. During his time in the youth teams, Kabongo was a part of the under-17 team that won the championship and the domestic cup.[1] On 31 August 2017, Kabongo moved to second division club Fremad Amager on loan until 1 January 2018.[2] He made his first-team debut for Fremad on 3 September, coming on as a substitute for Heini Vatnsdal in the 82nd minute of a 1–0 win home win against Esbjerg fB.[3]

Brøndby[]

After returning to Brøndby from his loan spell, Kabongo saw playing time in the team's pre-season friendlies, being in the starting lineup in a match against Shakhtar Donetsk.[4] Kabongo made his official debut for Brøndby in the first match of the 2018–19 Danish Superliga season, starting in a 2–0 away win over Randers FC and playing the entire match.[5]

On 16 August 2018, Kabongo made his UEFA Europa League debut, starting in a 2–1 home win over Spartak Subotica. His debut was short-lived, however, as he was sent off in the 15th minute for a professional foul on Dejan Đenić.[6] On 26 August 2018, in a 2–1 win over Vendsyssel FF, Kabongo was sent off again, this time for a 92nd minute foul on Sander Fischer, resulting in a penalty and Kabongo being shown a second yellow card.[7] On 22 April 2019, in a match against FC Midtjylland, Kabongo suffered a cruciate ligament tear and was substituted in the first half.[8] The initial prognosis suggested that he would miss 12 months.[9]

On 5 March 2020, Kabongo, alongside several other Brøndby personnel, was placed in home quarantine after having met with former Brøndby-player Thomas Kahlenberg, who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark. Kahlenberg had been infected at a birthday party in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[10] Kabongo made his comeback in football on 21 May 2020 in a friendly against Lyngby.[11][12]

Randers[]

On 27 July 2021 it was confirmed, that Kabongo had left Brøndby to join fellow league club Randers FC on a three-year deal.[13] He made his debut for the club on 8 August, coming on as a substitute for Frederik Lauenborg in the 88th minute in a 1–0 win.[14] On 28 August, he was injured again and was initially sidelined for the match against Silkeborg on the same day.[15] On 1 October, Kabongo announced via his Instagram account that he had suffered a more serious knee injury which had required surgery.[16]

Personal life[]

Kabongo and his girlfriend, Melanie Litgov, have one child: a daughter, Veneda (born 30 April 2020 at Rigshospitalet).[17]

Honours[]

Brøndby IF

References[]

  1. ^ Ingemann Nielsen, Peter (12 April 2016). "Focus On: Joel Kabongo, the Centre-Back with the Big Ambitions" (in Danish). Tipsbladet. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Joel Kabongo Loaned Out to Fremad Amager" (in Danish). brondby.com. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Kabongo' Lightning-Fast Debut in Fremad Amager's win over Esbjerg" (in Danish). 3Point.dk. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Startopstilling til træningskampen mod Shakhtar Donetsk" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Kabongo: Fantastisk at få debut" (in Danish). Brøndby IF. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Brøndbys 10 mand spiller sig videre i Europa" (in Danish). DR. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. ^ Svenningsen, Mette. "Vendsyssel kæmpede forgæves mod Brøndby". TV2 Nord. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Skræk-skade i Brøndby: Stjerne ude resten af 2019". Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  9. ^ Jensen, Kenneth. "Brøndby-forsvarer er blevet opereret: Forventes ude i omkring et år". Tipsbladet. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  10. ^ Jensen, Michael Sten (5 March 2020). "Tidligere landsholdsspiller isoleret med coronavirus". dr.dk. DR. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  11. ^ Margren, Sara (22 May 2020). "Kabongo fik BIF-comeback: Rigtig fed følelse". bold.dk. bold.dk. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  12. ^ Møller Karlsen, Nanna (21 May 2020). "Kabongo efter comeback: Det var en rigtig fed følelse – har jeg ventet på i 12 måneder". 3point.dk. 3point. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  13. ^ Randers FC forstærker sig med midterforsvareren Joel Kabongo fra de danske mestre, Brøndby IF, randersfc.dk, 27 July 2021
  14. ^ "Randers vs. SønderjyskE - 8 August 2021 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  15. ^ Dalgård, Jonas (28 August 2021). "Kabongo og Brock-Madsen ude for Randers". bold.dk (in Danish).
  16. ^ @joelkabongo24 (1 October 2021). "Operation overstået ✔️ Nu venter der desværre en pause fra fodbolden.. Der skal arbejdes hårdt og er ikke i tvivl om det nok skal gå min vej igen