Lomana LuaLua

1.1. Childhood and education

LuaLua was born as Trésor Lua Lua Lomana in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), in 1980. At a young age, in 1989, he moved to England with his family, settling in Forest Gate in London. He attended Forest Gate Community School, where he began playing football at the age of 16. In addition to football, LuaLua was also involved in gymnastics, an activity that would later form the basis of his distinctive goal celebration: a series of seven backflips followed by a backward somersault.

His talent for football was discovered when he was spotted kicking a tennis ball in the playground, which led to him representing his school. He was playing for Leyton Sixth Form College, where he studied performing arts, when he was noticed at the age of 17 by a scout for Colchester United, then a second-division side. Geoff Harrop, the scout, was particularly impressed by LuaLua's performance in a college football match, noting that "He was taking on the whole team by the end of the game and it wasn't hard to pick him out among 22 young 17-year-olds." Harrop invited LuaLua for a trial at Colchester United, leading to his professional signing.

1.2. Family and personal relationships

LuaLua comes from a family with a strong footballing lineage. His given name, LuaLua, was inherited from his grandfather and passed down to him and his brother, Kazenga LuaLua. Kazenga also pursued a career in professional football. Furthermore, two of LuaLua's cousins, Yannick Bolasie and Trésor Kandol, also became professional footballers, indicating a deep-rooted sporting tradition within his family.

2.1. Colchester United

LuaLua began his professional career with Colchester United, joining the club in September 1998. Initially, he faced difficulties adapting to professional football, with reports indicating he preferred attending nightclubs over dedicating himself fully to the team. However, with significant support from the club's staff, including youth director Micky Cook and managers Steve Wignall and Steve Whitton, LuaLua gradually improved his tactical understanding and role within the team.

He made an immediate impact on his debut, scoring within four minutes of coming on as a substitute in a 1-3 defeat to Chesterfield. Over two seasons with Colchester, LuaLua made 68 league and cup appearances, which included 44 starts and 24 substitute appearances, and scored a total of 21 goals. His impressive performances drew attention from several Premier League clubs. Despite manager Steve Whitton's initial denials of a sale, LuaLua eventually joined Newcastle United in September 2000 for a fee of 2.25 M GBP. An earlier offer of 300.00 K GBP from Newcastle, made by former manager Ruud Gullit, had been rejected. The significantly increased bid ultimately provided financial security to Colchester and assisted in funding a new ground, making it an offer the club felt they could not decline.

2.2. Newcastle United

LuaLua's move to Newcastle United in September 2000 was prompted by assistant manager Mick Wadsworth, who had previously managed Colchester. Newcastle manager Bobby Robson personally scouted LuaLua before the transfer, describing him as a "special talent" who needed to be "nursed and cherished and taught" to learn to play with others. Robson viewed him as "a very promising talent, a very promising player" for the long term. LuaLua signed a five-year contract with Newcastle.

He made his first-team debut in September 2000 in a 0-1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic. In the 2000-01 season, he made 23 league and cup appearances but did not score. His first goals for Newcastle came at the beginning of the 2001-02 season, with two goals in their UEFA Intertoto Cup campaign. His inaugural Premier League goal, a last-minute winner in a 3-2 away victory against Derby County, came in April 2002. He added two more goals in the remaining four games of that season.

LuaLua's goal-scoring form continued into the start of the 2002-03 season, where he netted three goals in his first four matches. However, fierce competition for a regular starting place limited him to only 22 appearances throughout the season. In January 2003, LuaLua publicly urged Robson to rotate the squad, stating he deserved a chance and that players not in the team did not enjoy sitting on the bench for money. His frustration escalated in November 2003 when he openly complained about his lack of first-team football, indicating he would consider leaving Newcastle. Robson responded sharply in the Newcastle Chronicle, stating he would not take advice from a player on managing the team and admonishing LuaLua to "keep his mouth shut and get out there and do what he is paid for." In total, LuaLua made 88 league and cup appearances for Newcastle, scoring nine goals, with 21 starts and 67 substitute appearances.

2.3. Portsmouth

In February 2004, after his participation in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, LuaLua joined Portsmouth on a three-month loan deal, with the potential for a permanent transfer at the season's end. He scored on his debut for Portsmouth in a 3-4 away defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in February 2004. During this loan spell, he notably scored an 89th-minute goal in a 1-1 draw against his parent club Newcastle, a result that lifted Portsmouth out of the Premier League's bottom three. This incident subsequently led to a change in legislation by The Football Association, introducing standard rules preventing a player on loan from playing against their parent club. LuaLua scored four goals in 15 appearances for Portsmouth during his loan, contributing to their mid-table finish in their debut Premier League season. Impressed by his performances, manager Harry Redknapp signed LuaLua permanently at a cost of 1.75 M GBP when his loan concluded at the end of the 2003-04 season.

In the 2004-05 season, LuaLua made 26 league and cup appearances, scoring six goals, including two against local rivals Southampton. The season was hampered by a groin injury early on and a hamstring injury in May 2005. He also faced disciplinary issues, receiving charges from the Football Association for abusive behavior in December 2004 and improper conduct after being sent off against Blackburn Rovers in January 2005. For the latter, he received an additional one-match ban and a fine of 5.00 K GBP, on top of the standard three-match ban for the dismissal.

During the 2005-06 season, he made 26 appearances and scored seven goals. However, he missed several games in the autumn after contracting malaria during a visit to Africa for international duty with DR Congo. He also missed matches due to his participation in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and sustained a foot injury in April 2006 while performing his acrobatic goal celebration during a game against Arsenal. His disciplinary challenges persisted, leading to a warning from the Football Association regarding his future conduct after he admitted improper conduct charges related to comments made about referee Uriah Rennie following a 1-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in December.

In July 2006, LuaLua signed a new three-year contract, intended to keep him at Portsmouth until 2009. An ankle injury sustained in a pre-season friendly forced him to miss the beginning of the 2006-07 season. He struggled to regain a regular first-team spot, making only eight starts out of 24 appearances, and scored only two goals that season. Manager Harry Redknapp publicly urged him to "start performing" and to "start producing next season." In August 2007, LuaLua moved to Greek club Olympiacos. Redknapp acknowledged LuaLua's desire for a change, a role behind the strikers, and a move abroad, particularly to play in the UEFA Champions League.

2.4. International club transfers

After leaving English football, LuaLua embarked on a journey through several international leagues, showcasing his skills in Greece, Qatar, Cyprus, and Turkey, before a brief return to England and later playing in Northern Cyprus.

3.1. Debut and early Africa Cup of Nations appearances

LuaLua received his first call-up to the DR Congo national team for the preliminary squad of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Mali in January 2002. He featured in key matches during the tournament, including a 0-0 draw with Togo, a 0-1 loss to Cameroon, and a 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast. He also played in the controversial quarter-final match against Senegal, which DR Congo lost 0-2. LuaLua attributed the defeat to biased officiating, stating that the referee Domenico Messina failed to award fouls and a clear penalty to DR Congo, while seemingly favoring the Senegalese players who "fell over without being touched."

The DR Congo's qualifying campaign for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia began six months after the 2002 tournament, with a match against Libya on 8 September, which they lost 2-3. LuaLua initially hesitated to play in this match, but reluctantly did so after threats were made to his family, prompting him to reconsider his international future. His club manager, Bobby Robson, confirmed the threats, noting, "He didn't want to go and play in that match. But he said he had to go because his grandmother had been threatened." In October 2002, he played in a 2-0 win over Botswana, scoring within five minutes, but was later sent off for dissent. This led to a two-match suspension, and his next appearance came in July 2003, a 0-0 draw with Botswana that secured qualification for the finals.

Although LuaLua initially expressed doubts about participating in the finals due to club commitments, he was included in the squad and named captain in the absence of the injured regular captain, Shabani Nonda. LuaLua expressed honor at being named captain, acknowledging the increased pressure and leadership expectations. He played in the opening match of the tournament, a 1-2 defeat to Guinea. In the subsequent match against hosts Tunisia, he was sent off, reacting angrily and taking several minutes to leave the pitch. DR Congo went on to lose the match and were eliminated from the tournament. Following his dismissal, LuaLua considered retiring from international football and sharply criticized the conduct of the Tunisian players during the match and the overall organization of the tournament. He later criticized the Congolese Association Football Federation, blaming them for the poor state of the national team, but ultimately reaffirmed his commitment to play for his country, stating, "I can never turn my back on my country. I play for Congo because I am proud to do it." He also publicly apologized to his country for his sending-off against Tunisia.

3.2. 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and personal challenges

LuaLua received a four-match suspension for his sending-off, causing him to miss several 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying round matches in June 2004. Although selected for the World Cup qualifier against South Africa in September, he missed the match due to injury and was subsequently dropped for the next qualifier against Ghana in October. He also missed a 1-1 draw with Ghana in March 2005 due to a dispute with the DR Congo football association but committed himself to the match against Uganda in June. In August, he scored in a friendly against Guinea in Paris, a preparatory match for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

LuaLua played for DR Congo in a 2-1 win over Cape Verde in September but then contracted malaria, forcing him to miss the final World Cup qualifier against South Africa in October. In November 2005, he was recalled to the squad for a friendly against Tunisia in Paris, part of the preparations for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in January and February 2006. However, he was unable to play after being among several players denied a visa by French immigration authorities. He was named captain of DR Congo for the tournament, again filling in for the injured Shabani Nonda. LuaLua delayed his departure to be available for a crucial league match with Portsmouth, consequently missing a friendly against Senegal.

Despite a significant pay dispute that led to DR Congo players threatening to boycott their opening match, which was only resolved shortly before kickoff, LuaLua returned to the side for the tournament's opening fixture against Togo. He played a pivotal role, assisting one goal and scoring the other in a 2-0 victory. He further appeared against Angola and Cameroon as DR Congo advanced to the quarter-finals, where they were eventually defeated by hosts Egypt. A tragic personal challenge occurred during the tournament when LuaLua's 18-month-old son died in February 2006, a profound loss that he endured while representing his nation.

3.3. Later international career

In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia in April 2007, LuaLua scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory, extending DR Congo's lead at the top of their group. He did not travel to Ethiopia for the away fixture in June, which DR Congo lost, as authorities failed to send him his travel documents in time. Following the team's failure to qualify for the tournament in October, the DR Congo sports minister, Pardonne Kaliba, suspended manager Henri Depireux and removed LuaLua from the captaincy.

LuaLua returned to the DR Congo squad for the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Egypt in June 2008. After returning to Greece, he experienced severe stomach pain and was rushed to hospital to have his appendix removed, an event that sidelined him for several weeks and caused him to miss subsequent matches. Despite initial success in their group, DR Congo was later eliminated in the second round of qualifying, failing to progress to the third round for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In February 2012, national manager Claude Le Roy confirmed his intent for LuaLua to return to the national team for their Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles, though LuaLua did not play in that game. In December, LuaLua was named to the squad for his fourth Africa Cup of Nations, held in South Africa in 2013. He started all three of DR Congo's matches in Group C, all of which ended in draws, resulting in the team's exit from the tournament. He concluded his international career with 31 caps and 7 goals.

4.1. Personal background

In September 2003, LuaLua was fined 175 GBP by Newcastle Magistrates Court for watching British television without a licence. He is a born-again Christian. His former teammate at Portsmouth, Linvoy Primus, notably stated that they would pray together before games, linking arms approximately 45 minutes before kickoff to "glorify God." LuaLua also contributed to literature by writing the foreword for You Can Have Chips, the autobiography of his former manager Steve Wignall.

4.2. Philanthropic activities

LuaLua is a dedicated humanitarian, actively engaging in philanthropic efforts. In 2005, he became a patron of the Haslar Visitors Group, a charity that provides support to detainees in an immigration removal center. The following year, in 2006, he established the LuaLua Foundation. This organization built a hostel, as well as a sport and education complex, in Kinshasa, with the mission of providing care and education for orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His commitment to social justice extends to his active involvement in the Show Racism the Red Card campaign, where he participated in the launch of a video titled "A Safe Place." This video featured fellow Premiership footballers sharing their experiences with racism, aiming to raise awareness and combat discrimination.

6.1. Club

6.2. International

Scores and results list DR Congo's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each LuaLua goal.