1. Overview
Kings Kangwa (born April 6, 1999) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva and the Zambia national team. Standing at 67 in (170 cm), his career journey has taken him through clubs in Zambia, Russia, Serbia, and Belgium, before his current tenure in Israel. Kangwa has consistently contributed to his national team, from the youth levels to the senior squad, demonstrating his skills as both a midfielder and a goal scorer.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Kangwa's early life in Zambia and his initial steps in football laid the groundwork for his professional career.
2.1. Early Life and Background
Kings Kangwa was born on April 6, 1999, in Kasama, Zambia. He comes from a family with a connection to professional football, as his older brother, Evans Kangwa, is also a professional footballer and has been a teammate with Kings at various points in their careers.
2.2. Youth and Early Senior Career
Kangwa commenced his football development at Happy Hearts, a club based in Lusaka. In 2017, he briefly joined Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva on a loan spell, gaining early international experience before returning to Happy Hearts in 2018. During his time with Happy Hearts in his early senior career, he made 35 appearances and scored 5 goals. Subsequently, prior to the 2019 Zambian Super League season, Kangwa signed with Buildcon, where he continued to impress, playing 24 matches and finding the back of the net 4 times. These formative years in Zambia were crucial in shaping his abilities before his move to European leagues.
3. Club Career
Kings Kangwa's professional club career has been marked by several significant transfers across different international leagues, where he has consistently contributed to his teams.
3.1. Happy Hearts and Buildcon
Kangwa initiated his professional journey in Zambia with Happy Hearts, a club that nurtured his talent. He played a significant role for them, making 35 appearances and scoring 5 goals before a short loan period to Hapoel Be'er Sheva. After returning to Zambia, he joined Buildcon FC for the 2019 Zambian Super League season, where he continued to demonstrate his scoring ability by netting 4 goals in 24 matches. These early professional experiences in his home country provided the platform for his subsequent career abroad.
3.2. Arsenal Tula
On July 10, 2019, Kings Kangwa secured a transfer to Russian club Arsenal Tula. He spent three seasons competing in the Russian Premier League with the club. During his tenure at Arsenal Tula, Kangwa played in 48 league matches, scoring 5 goals. He also participated in 7 cup fixtures, adding 1 goal to his tally. In total, he made 55 appearances for Arsenal Tula across all competitions, scoring 6 goals.
3.3. Red Star Belgrade
Following his successful stint in Russia, Kangwa moved to Serbian club Red Star Belgrade, signing a four-year contract on May 29, 2022. At Red Star, he became a vital component of the team, playing in both domestic and European competitions. He made 42 appearances in the Serbian SuperLiga, scoring 8 goals. In cup competitions, he contributed 3 goals in 5 matches. His European campaign saw him make 9 appearances, where he scored 1 goal. Overall, Kangwa played 56 matches for Red Star Belgrade, registering 12 goals and contributing to the club's domestic title successes.
3.4. Kortrijk and Hapoel Be'er Sheva
In 2024, Kings Kangwa experienced further changes in his club career. On February 1, 2024, he was loaned to Belgian club Kortrijk for a period of six months. During this loan spell in the Belgian Pro League, he featured in 10 league matches and played 2 cup games, but did not score any goals. After the conclusion of his loan, on July 30, 2024, Kangwa completed a permanent transfer back to Israeli football, signing a four-year contract with Hapoel Be'er Sheva. This move marked his return to the club he had previously joined on loan early in his career.
4. International Career
Kings Kangwa has proudly represented his home nation, Zambia, at various levels of international football, demonstrating his consistent talent and dedication.
4.1. Youth National Team
In November 2018, Kangwa was selected for the Zambia U20 squad, preparing for the 2018 COSAFA U-20 Cup. This experience at the youth international level was important for his development. He also made 3 appearances for the Zambia U23 squad in 2019.
4.2. Senior National Team
Kangwa made his debut for the Zambia senior national team on June 9, 2019, in a match against Cameroon, which Zambia lost 2-1. He scored his inaugural international goal for Zambia on July 16, 2019, contributing to a 3-2 victory against Morocco. As of September 10, 2024, Kings Kangwa has accumulated 34 caps for the Zambian senior squad and scored 7 goals, consistently featuring in key matches and tournaments, including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
5. Career Statistics
Kings Kangwa's career statistics offer a detailed breakdown of his appearances and goals at both club and international levels.
5.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Happy Hearts | 2017-2019 | Super League | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 |
| Buildcon | 2019 | Super League | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 |
| Arsenal Tula | 2019-20 | Russian Premier League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2021-22 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 5 | ||
| Total | 48 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 6 | ||
| Red Star Belgrade | 2022-23 | Serbian SuperLiga | 32 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 45 | 12 |
| 2023-24 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 42 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 56 | 12 | ||
| Kortrijk (loan) | 2023-24 | Belgian Pro League | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 2024-25 | Israeli Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 159 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 182 | 27 | ||
5.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia | 2019 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 2 | |
| Total | 34 | 7 | |
5.3. List of International Goals
Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kangwa goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 July 2019 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | Morocco | 2-1 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 25 March 2022 | Kervansaray Sport Centre - Field 1, Antalya, Turkey | Congo | 2-1 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 7 June 2022 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Comoros | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 17 November 2022 | HaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva, Israel | Israel | 1-2 | 2-4 | Friendly |
| 5 | 17 June 2023 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Ivory Coast | 3-0 | 3-0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 17 January 2024 | Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast | DR Congo | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 7 | 10 September 2024 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Sierra Leone | 3-2 | 3-2 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
6. Honours
Red Star Belgrade
- Serbian SuperLiga: 2022-23
- Serbian Cup: 2022-23
7. Personal Life
Kings Kangwa is the younger brother of Evans Kangwa, who is also a professional footballer and has represented the Zambia national team. The two brothers notably played alongside each other as teammates during their shared time at Arsenal Tula in Russia.