Jacob Mulenga

Jacob Mulenga (born 12 February 1984) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Dutch Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles.

Mulenga started his footballing career at age 18 with hometown club Afrisport, before moving to Chateauroux in 2004. Five years later, he moved to FC Utrecht where he made his definitive breakthrough but also suffered two serious knee injuries. After successful stints in Turkey and China, Mulenga returned to the Netherlands in 2020 where he signed for Go Ahead Eagles.

Between 2004 and 2014, he made 41 appearances, in which he scored 9 goals, for the Zambia national team.

Club Career

Mulenga started his career with the Zambian third-tier club Afrisport from his hometown of Kitwe at a relatively late age – he only started playing organised football as an 18-year old. With Afrisport whom he reached promotion in the 2003 season. In December 2003, he trialled together with fellow countryman Collins Mbesuma at French club Stade Rennais. However, both were unable to gain a contract, after which Mulenga returned to Afrisport. He had a strong season there, including four goals during the first three matches. In the summer of 2004, he returned to France for a trial period at Bastia alongside Billy Mwanza. After the Corsican club did not offer him a contract, LB Chateauroux showed interest in him and he was subsequently signed on a four-year contract. Mulenga thus became the second Zambian in the French professional divisions, after Andrew Tembo who played for Marseille in 1994.

In his Ligue 2 debut on 24 August 2004, Mulenga scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Chamois Niortais. In the ensuing period, however, he suffered a large number of injuries, limiting his appearances in the league that year to 15. In the two seasons that followed, he played more often, but his goalscoring stagnated. In August 2007, he was sent on a one-season loan to Ligue 1 club RC Strasbourg. After this period the Zambian returned to Chateauroux.

In late May 2009, the

This page also has a version in other languages :  Джейкоб Муленга (russian)