{{short description|DR Congolese footballer (born 1996)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Aldo Kalulu | image = Aldo Kalulu in july 2018.jpg | image_size = | caption = Kalulu with Swansea City in 2019 | fullname = Aldo-Nsawila Kalulu Kyatengwa<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Swansea City |publisher=English Football League |page=71 |access-date=27 October 2019}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|1|21|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Lyon]], France | height = 1.66 m | position = [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|Attacking midfielder]], [[Forward (association football)#Striker|striker]] | currentclub = [[Nantong Zhiyun F.C.|Nantong Zhiyun]] | clubnumber = 10 | youthyears1 = 2003–2004 | youthclubs1 = CO St Fons | youthyears2 = 2004–2015 | youthclubs2 = [[Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy|Lyon]] | years1 = 2013–2016 | clubs1 = [[Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy|Lyon B]] | caps1 = 38 | goals1 = 4 | years2 = 2015–2018 | clubs2 = [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 3 | years3 = 2017 | clubs3 = → [[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]] (loan) | caps3 = 10 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2017–2018 | clubs4 = → [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] (loan) | caps4 = 31 | goals4 = 11 | years5 = 2018–2021 | clubs5 = [[FC Basel|Basel]] | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2019–2020 | clubs6 = → [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]] (loan) | caps6 = 11 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2021–2023 | clubs7 = [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] | caps7 = 76 | goals7 = 15 | years8 = 2023–2025 | clubs8 = [[FK Partizan|Partizan]] | caps8 = 70 | goals8 = 9 | years9 = 2026– | clubs9 = [[Nantong Zhiyun F.C.|Nantong Zhiyun]] | caps9 = 8 | goals9 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2023– | nationalteam1 = [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo]] | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 16 March 2026 | nationalteam-update = 9 February 2024 }}
'''Aldo-Nsawila Kalulu Kyatengwa''' (born 21 January 1996) is a professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as an [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|attacking midfielder]] and [[Forward (association football)#Striker|striker]] who plays for [[China League One]] club [[Nantong Zhiyun F.C.|Nantong Zhiyun]]. Born in France, he plays for the [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo national team]].
==Early life== Kalulu was born in Lyon, France, and is Congolese by descent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Akouete |first=Isidore |date=27 December 2017 |title=Aldo Kalulu : Le Franco-Congolais courtisé par Norwich City |url=https://www.africatopsports.com/2017/12/27/aldo-kalulu-franco-congolais-courtise-norwich-city/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dove |first=Ed |title=Introducing Aldo Kalul, Rwanda's First Footballing Superstar? |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/club/lyon/167/blog/post/3108405/introducing-aldo-kalulu-rwandas-first-footballing-superstar |website=ESPN|date=20 April 2017 }}</ref> His father was born in Kabimba, [[Belgian Congo]], and his mother in [[Likasi]], [[Congo-Léopoldville]]. He acquired [[French nationality law|French nationality]] on 26 December 2000 through the collective effect of his parents' [[naturalization]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Journal officiel de la République française n° 0303 du 31 décembre 2000 - Légifrance |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/jo/id/JORFCONT000000006763 |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=legifrance.gouv.fr |language=fr |format=PDF}}</ref>
==Club career== ===Lyon=== Kalulu is a youth exponent from [[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]]. He made his [[Ligue 1]] debut on 12 September 2015 against [[Lille OSC]] replacing [[Jordan Ferri]] after 78 minutes in a 0–0 home draw.<ref name="soccerway2">{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/09/12/france/ligue-1/olympique-lyonnais/lille-olympique-sporting-club-metropole/2045894/|title=Lyon vs. Lille - 12 September 2015 - Soccerway|publisher=soccerway.com|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>
He scored his first goal against Bastia on 23 September 2015, assisted by [[Steed Malbranque]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = EN DIRECT. Lyon - Bastia : Kalulu ouvre le score ! (1-0)|url = https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/match/343289|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923103647/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/match/343289|url-status = dead|archive-date = 23 September 2015|access-date = 23 September 2015}}</ref>
===Basel=== On 26 June 2018 [[FC Basel]] announced that they had signed Kalulu on a three-year deal until June 2021.<ref name="fcb-aktuell-2018/19-Aldo Kalulu">{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | author-link = | date = 26 June 2018 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/aktuell/news/alle-news/2018/06/fcb-sign-french-attcking-player-aldo-kalulu/ | title = FCB sign French attacking player Aldo Kalulu | format = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | access-date = 13 November 2022}}</ref> Kalulu joined Basel's first team for their [[2018–19 FC Basel season|2018–19 season]] under head coach [[Raphaël Wicky]] and later [[Marcel Koller]]. After playing in three test games Kalulu played his domestic league debut for the club in the home game in the [[St. Jakob-Park]] on 21 July 2018 as Basel were defeated 1–2 by [[FC St. Gallen|St. Gallen]].<ref name="fcb-achiv-2018/19-FCB-FCSG">{{cite web | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | author-link = | date = 21 July 2018 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=31311 | title = FC Basel - FC St. Gallen 1:2 (0:0) | format = | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 13 November 2022}}</ref> He scored his first goal for his new club on 18 August in the [[Swiss Cup]] away game as Basel won 3–0 against amateur club FC Montlingen.<ref name="fcb-achiv-2018/19-Cup-Montlingen-FCB">{{cite web | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | author-link = | date = 18 August 2018 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=31347 | title = FC Montlingen - FC Basel 0:3 (0:1) | format = | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 13 November 2022}}</ref>
Under trainer [[Marcel Koller]] Basel won the [[2018–19 Swiss Cup|Swiss Cup in the 2018–19 season]]. In the first round Basel beat FC Montlingen 3–0, in the second round [[FC Echallens|Echallens Région]] 7–2 and in the round of 16 [[FC Winterthur|Winterthur]] 1–0. In the quarter-finals [[FC Sion|Sion]] were defeated 4–2 after extra time and in the semi-finals [[FC Zürich|Zürich]] were defeated 3–1. All these games were played away from home. The final was held on 19 May 2019 in the [[Stade de Suisse|Stade de Suisse Wankdorf Bern]] against [[FC Thun|Thun]]. Striker [[Albian Ajeti]] scored the first goal, [[Fabian Frei]] the second for Basel, then [[Dejan Sorgić]] netted a goal for Thun, but the result remained 2–1 for Basel.<ref name="fcb-achiv-fcb-thun-cupfinal-2018–19">{{cite web | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=31396 | title = FC Basel - FC Thun 2:1 (1:0) | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 13 November 2022}}</ref> Kalulu played in four cup games and scored that one game mentioned above.
In the first half of the season Kalulu played regularly, however, in the second half of the season he had just seven appearances and these as substitute. Therefore the club looked for a new solution.
; Loan to Swansea City On 5 August 2019, Kalulu signed for [[EFL Championship]] club [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]] on a season-long loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49228499 |title=Aldo Kalulu: Swansea City sign Basel forward on loan |publisher=BBC Sport |date=5 August 2019 |access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>
; Return to Basel Swansea did not pull the option and so Kalulu returned to Basel for their [[2020–21 FC Basel season|2020–21 season]] under new head coach [[Ciriaco Sforza]]. However, things did not improve for the striker, he made only 12 appearances and this as substitute. At the end of this season his contract expired and he left the club. Between the years 2018 and 2021 Kalulu played a total of 51 games for Basel scoring just three goals. 27 of these games were in the [[Swiss Super League|Nationalliga A]], five in the [[Swiss Cup]], four in the UEFA competitions (Champions League and Europa League) and 15 were friendly games. He scored one goal in the cup and the other two during the test games.<ref name="fcb-achiv-Aldo Kalulu">{{cite web | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | authorlink = | year = 2021 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/spieler?command=detail&id=9813 | title = Aldo Kalulu - FCB statistic | format = | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | accessdate = 13 November 2022}}</ref>
===Sochaux=== On 29 June 2021, he returned to [[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] and signed a three-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]]|url=http://www.fcsochaux.fr/fr/index.php/club/association-fcsm/33-communique/15946-aldo-kalulu-est-officiellement-de-retour|title=Aldo Kalulu est officiellement de retour|date=29 June 2021|language=fr|access-date=20 September 2021|archive-date=24 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724152901/http://www.fcsochaux.fr/fr/index.php/club/association-fcsm/33-communique/15946-aldo-kalulu-est-officiellement-de-retour|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Partizan=== On 20 July 2023 it was announced that Kalulu signed a 3-year contract with [[FK Partizan]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=MozzartSport|url=https://www.mozzartsport.com/fudbal/vesti/kalulu-zbog-partizana-odbio-haifu-mec-turke/456879|title=Kalulu zbog Partizana odbio Haifu, Mec, Turke|date=20 July 2023|language=sr}}</ref> He made his debut on 29 July in the first round of the [[2023–24 Serbian SuperLiga]] campaign against [[FK TSC|TSC]], entering the game in the 54th minute and receiving a red card in the 95th minute.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/07/29/serbia/super-liga/fk-baka-topola/fk-partizan-beograd/4185485/|title=TSC VS. PARTIZAN 3 - 3|website=Soccerway.com|date=29 July 2023}}</ref> Kalulu scored his debut goal against [[FK Napredak Kruševac|Napredak]] which sent the team to the top of the [[Serbian SuperLiga]] after 18 months.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/01/serbia/super-liga/fk-napredak-krusevac/fk-partizan-beograd/4185554/|title=NAPREDAK VS. PARTIZAN 0 - 2 |website=Soccerway.com|date=1 October 2023}}</ref> Kalulu scored the opening goal in the match against [[FK Radnički 1923|Radnički Kragujevac]] with an assist from [[Matheus Saldanha]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2023/10/25/serbia/super-liga/fk-radnicki-kragujevac/fk-partizan-beograd/4185503/|title=RADNIČKI KRAGUJEVAC VS. PARTIZAN 0 - 4 |website=Soccerway.com|date=25 October 2023}}</ref> On 9 March 2024, Kalulu scored the second goal for Partizan in the 172nd [[Eternal derby (Serbia)|Eternal derby]], which ended 2–2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/03/09/serbia/super-liga/fk-crvena-zvezda-beograd/fk-partizan-beograd/4185666/|title=RED STAR BELGRADE VS. PARTIZAN 2 - 2|website=Soccerway.com|date=9 March 2024}}</ref>
On 26 October 2024, Kalulu scored his first SuperLiga goal of the [[2024–25 FK Partizan season|2024–25 season]] in a 3–1 win against [[FK Čukarički|Čukarički]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2024/10/26/serbia/super-liga/fk-partizan-beograd/fk-cukaricki/4363775/|title=PARTIZAN VS. CUKARICKI 3 - 1 |website=Soccerway.com|date=26 October 2024}}</ref>
==International career== Kalulu is a former youth international for France at U18 level. He debuted for the [[DR Congo national football team|DR Congo national team]] in a 3–1 [[2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]] win over [[Mauritania national football team|Mauritania]] on 24 March 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kt.cd/mauritanie-rdc-silas-et-balikwisha-dans-le-onze-de-depart/|title=Mauritanie - RDC : Silas et Balikwisha dans le onze de départ|date=28 March 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kalulu is the older brother of footballers [[Gédéon Kalulu]], [[Pierre Kalulu]] and [[Joseph Kalulu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/club/lyon/167/blog/post/3108405/introducing-aldo-kalulu-rwandas-first-footballing-superstar|title=Aldo Kalulu: Rwanda's first football superstar?|date=10 September 2016|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|8 August 2025}}<ref name="soccerway">{{Soccerway|alddo-kalulu/288488}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental<ref group="nb">Includes [[UEFA Champions League]]</ref> !colspan="2"|Other<ref group="nb">Includes [[Trophée des Champions]]</ref> !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3"|[[Olympique Lyonnais|Lyon]] |[[2015–16 Ligue 1|2015–16]] |Ligue 1 |10||2||2||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||14||2 |- |[[2016–17 Ligue 1|2016–17]] |Ligue 1 |4||1||0||0||0||0||2||0||0||0||6||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !14!!3!!2!!0!!0!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!20!!3 |- |[[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]] (loan) |[[2016–17 Ligue 1|2016–17]] |Ligue 1 |10||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||0 |- |[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] (loan) |[[2017–18 Ligue 2|2017–18]] |Ligue 2 |31||11||2||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—|| colspan="2"|—||34||12 |- |[[FC Basel|Basel]] |[[2018–19 FC Basel season|2018–19]] |Super League |17||0||4||1||colspan="2"|—||3||0||colspan="2"|—||24||1 |- |[[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]] (loan) |[[2019–20 Swansea City A.F.C. season|2019–20]] |Championship |11||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||0 |- |[[FC Basel|Basel]] |[[2020–21 FC Basel season|2020–21]] |Super League |10||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0||colspan="2"|—||12||0 |- |rowspan="3"|[[FC Sochaux-Montbéliard|Sochaux]] |[[2021–22 Ligue 2|2021–22]] |rowspan="2"|Ligue 2 |39||9||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||39||9 |- |[[2022–23 Ligue 2|2022–23]] |37||6||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||38||6 |- !colspan="2"|Total !76!!15!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!77!!15 |- |rowspan="4"|[[FK Partizan|Partizan]] |[[2023–24 FK Partizan season|2023–24]] |rowspan="3"|[[Serbian SuperLiga]] |34||3||3||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0||colspan="2"|—||41||3 |- |[[2024–25 FK Partizan season|2024–25]] |34||6||2||0||colspan="2"|—||5||0||colspan="2"|—||41||6 |- |[[2025–26 FK Partizan season|2025–26]] |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0||colspan="2"|—||6||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !70!!9!!5!!0!!0!!0!!13!!0!!0!!0!!88!!9 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !239!!38!!16!!2!!1!!0!!21!!0!!0!!0!!277!!40 |}
<references group="nb" />
==Honours== '''Basel''' * [[Swiss Cup]]: [[2018–19 Swiss Cup|2018–19]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{UEFA player}} * {{FFF player|7065-kalulu-kyatengwa-aldo}} * {{FFF male player|2546305598|archive=}} {{Nantong Zhiyun F.C. squad}}
{{Auth}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalulu, Aldo}} [[Category:1996 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Footballers from Lyon]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's footballers]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo men's international footballers]] [[Category:Naturalized citizens of France]] [[Category:French men's footballers]] [[Category:France men's youth international footballers]] [[Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo people of Rwandan descent]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Democratic Republic of the Congo descent]] [[Category:French people of Rwandan descent]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:Olympique Lyonnais players]] [[Category:Stade Rennais FC players]] [[Category:FC Sochaux-Montbéliard players]] [[Category:FC Basel players]] [[Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players]] [[Category:FK Partizan players]] [[Category:Nantong Zhiyun F.C. players]] [[Category:Serbian SuperLiga players]] [[Category:Ligue 1 players]] [[Category:Ligue 2 players]] [[Category:Swiss Super League players]] [[Category:China League One players]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:French expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in England]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland]] [[Category:Black French sportspeople]] [[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]]