Julien Kialunda (24 April 1940 – 14 September 1987[1]) was a Congolese footballer. He was one of the first Congolese footballers to play professionally in Europe.[2] He represented Zaire at the 1972 African Cup of Nations.[3]
Club career
Kialunda played for Union Saint-Gilloise, RSC Anderlecht and Léopold FC in Belgium.[1] He was a four time Belgian league champion with Anderlecht.
International career
Kialunda represented Zaire at the 1972 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, where he started in all of his team's five matches as Zaire finished fourth.[3]
Post-career
After his retirement, Kialunda was national coach of the Zaire national team, without much success. He also owned a cafe for a while in the Brussels neighborhood of Matonge, known for its predominantly African population. In 1987, sick with AIDS, he decided to return to Belgium to be treated and die there. He died on 14 September the same year.
A charity is founded in his memory, the "Julien Kialunda Foundation", that is engaged in worthy causes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is sponsored by professional players of African origin playing or having grew up in Belgium, like the brothers Mbo and Émile Mpenza, Mohammed Tchité and Anthony Vanden Borre.[4]
Honours
Union Saint-Gilloise
Anderlecht
- Belgian First Division: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1971–72
- Belgian Cup: 1971–72, 1972–73
- Belgian League Cup: 1973
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup runners-up: 1969–70
References
- ^ a b "Julien Kialunda". www.voetbal.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ C. Onwumechili; G. Akindes (8 April 2014). Identity and Nation in African Football: Fans, Community and Clubs. Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 289–. ISBN 978-1-137-35581-2.
- ^ a b "African Nations Cup 1972 - Final Tournament Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ Benoît Delhauteur (30 November 2006). "VdB, Tchité et les frères Mpenza parrains de la fondation Kialunda". www.dhnet.be. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
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