Pierre Kalulu
Pierre Kazeye Rommel Kalulu Kyatengwa (pronounced [ka.lu.lu]; born 5 June 2000) is a French professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club AC Milan. Mainly a right-back, he can also play in central defence.[3]
| Kalulu with AC Milan in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pierre Kazeye Rommel Kalulu Kyatengwa[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 5 June 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Lyon, France | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AC Milan | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2010 | Saint-Priest | ||
| 2010–2018 | Lyon | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Lyon B | 36 | (0) |
| 2020– | AC Milan | 77 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018 | France U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | France U19 | 12 | (0) |
| 2019 | France U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | France U21 | 19 | (2) |
| 2021 | France Olympic | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 September 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 July 2023 | |||
Club career Edit
Lyon Edit
Kalulu moved from his youth club Saint-Priest to the youth academy of Olympique Lyon in the summer of 2010. In Lyon, he passed through the different youth departments from 2010 to 2018, and was elevated to their reserve team in June 2018. For the home game against Amiens on 5 March 2020, Kalulu was called up for the first team of Lyon, but did not play in the match.[4]
AC Milan Edit
In the summer of 2020, Kalulu moved to Italy to join AC Milan, and signed a contract until 2025.[5] On 10 December, he made his professional debut, playing the entire Europa League game against Sparta Prague as a left-sided centre-back; as Milan won 1–0, he was praised for helping the team keep a clean sheet.[6] Three days later, on 13 December, Kalulu made his debut in Serie A, replacing the injured Matteo Gabbia in the fifth minute of a home game against Parma.[7] In the following away league game against Genoa played on 16 December, he made his first-ever start in Serie A and scored a debut goal in his senior career, equalizing the score in the eventual 2–2 draw.[8]
During the 2021–22 season, after an injury to Alessio Romagnoli, Kalulu started the match against Napoli on 6 March 2022, partnering in central defence with Fikayo Tomori; he helped Milan to clinch a 1–0 win, impressing against Napoli's striker Victor Osimhen.[9] On 12 March against Empoli, Kalulu scored his first goal of the season, a powerful curling shot from outside the box, as Milan managed to win 1–0 and stay top of the league.[10] With him and Tomori again in central defence, Milan kept clean sheets in two consecutive Serie A games for the first time in 2022.[11]
International career Edit
In addition to his French citizenship, Kalulu also holds the citizenship of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[12] Since June 2018, he has played through the various national junior teams of France, taking part in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.[citation needed]
Personal life Edit
Kalulu is the younger brother of footballers Aldo Kalulu and Gédéon Kalulu and is of Congolese descent.[13]
Career statistics Edit
- As of match played 1 September 2023[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lyon B | 2018–19 | Championnat National 2 | 17 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | Championnat National 2 | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 36 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||||
| AC Milan | 2020–21 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | — | 18 | 1 | |
| 2021–22 | Serie A | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | — | 37 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 77 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 103 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 113 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 139 | 3 | ||
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
Honours Edit
AC Milan
References Edit
- ^ "Squad List: Men's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020: France (FRA)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 July 2021. p. 6. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "Player Biography: Pierre Kalulu". AC Milan. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "France - P. Kalulu - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ Paul, Sumeet (14 June 2020). "Who is Pierre Kalulu? Analysis of talented young ace set for Milan switch". Milan Talk. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Official Statement: Pierre Kalulu". AC Milan. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Sparta Praha-Milan | UEFA Europa League". UEFA.com.
- ^ "AC Milan vs. Parma - Football Match Line-Ups - December 13, 2020 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Genoa vs AC Milan - December 16, 2020". FOX Sports. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ Fisher, Oliver. "GdS: Kalulu will keep his place against Empoli - Milan are working to secure him". sempremilan. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Campanale, Susy. "SERIE A : MILAN 1-0 EMPOLI: KALULU ENOUGH TO CONSOLIDATE TOP SPOT". Football Italia. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "AC MILAN V EMPOLI: THE NUMBERS FROM THE GAME". ACMILAN. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Kalulu Kyatengwa: le prodige congolais de l'OL débarque au Milan AC". Orange Football Club. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ "Aldo Kalulu: Rwanda's first football superstar?". ESPN.com. 10 September 2016.
- ^ Pierre Kalulu at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
External links Edit
- Profile at the AC Milan website
- France profile at FFF