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Willy Kambwala

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Willy Kambwala
Personal information
Full name Willy Kambwala Ndengushi[1]
Date of birth (2004-08-25) 25 August 2004 (age 22)
Place of birth Kinshasa, DR Congo[2]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Como
(on loan from Villarreal)
Number 53
Youth career
2012–2013 Elan Chevilly Larue
2013–2018 Les Ulis
2018–2020 Sochaux
2020–2023 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Manchester United 8 (0)
2024– Villarreal 21 (0)
2026– → Como (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2026– DR Congo 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 2 October 2026

Willy Kambwala Ndengushi (born 25 August 2004) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club Como, on loan from La Liga club Villarreal, and the DR Congo national team.

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Kinshasa, DR Congo, Kambwala and his family moved to France when he was five.[3] He was raised in Les Ulis, Essonne, and started his career with Elan Chevilly Larue and Les Ulis, before joining the academy of Sochaux in 2018.

Manchester United

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Kambwala was linked with a move to English teams Liverpool and Manchester United in July 2020.[4] He made the move to Manchester United in October 2020, signing on transfer deadline day.[5] He suffered an eleven-month injury layoff only weeks into his spell in Manchester, returning to action in September 2021, playing in an 8–2 away win against Birmingham City's under-18 team.[6]

He signed a professional contract with Manchester United the following month.[7][8][9] Kambwala made his senior debut for United in December 2023, starting in a Premier League match against West Ham United.[10] With several first-team defenders sidelined through injuries, Kambwala made his second professional start on 7 April 2024, in a league game against Liverpool that ended in a 2–2 draw at Old Trafford.[11]

Villarreal

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On 15 July 2024, Kambwala signed for La Liga club Villarreal.[12]

Loan to Como

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On 26 August 2026, Kambwala joined Serie A club Como on a one-year loan deal.[13]

International career

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Kambwala is eligible to represent both France and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[14] He has been called up to play for the French under-16 side.[15] In June 2025, he opted to play for the DR Congo national team.[16]

Kambwala was one of the players who were called up with the DR Congo national team by head coach Sébastien Desabre for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Equatorial Guinea (24 September 2026), Zimbabwe (28 September) and the 2 friendlies against Uganda (2 and 5 October).[17] He made his international debut in their first friendly against Uganda, which they lost 2–0.[18]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 17 May 2026[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United U21 2023–24 —————3[b]030
Manchester United 2023–24 Premier League 80200000—100
Villarreal 2024–25 La Liga 19020———210
2025–26 La Liga 2000—00—20
Total 21020—00—230
Como 2026–27 Serie A 0000—00—00
Career total 29040000030360
  1. ↑ Includes FA Cup, Copa del Rey
  2. ↑ Appearances in the EFL Trophy

International

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As of match played 2 October 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
DR Congo 202610
Total10

Honours

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Manchester United

References

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  1. ↑ "Kambwala Ndengushi, Willy" (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 Willy Kambwala at WorldFootball.net
  3. ↑ Mechenoua, Marc (19 October 2020). "PSG-MU : des Ulis à Manchester, le grand bond de Willy Kambwala" [PSG-MU: from Ulis to Manchester, the great leap of Willy Kambwala]. leparisien.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.(subscription required)
  4. ↑ "Transferts : Manchester United s'intéresse à Willy Kambwala (Sochaux)" [Transfers: Manchester United interested in Willy Kambwala (Sochaux)]. lequipe.fr (in French). 5 July 2020. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Clayton, Freddie (8 October 2020). "Who is Willy Kambwala - the French wonderkid signed by Manchester United". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  6. ↑ Smith, George (21 September 2021). "Manchester United youngster sends message after returning from long-term injury lay-off". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Fay, Richard (9 October 2021). "Manchester United defender Willy Kambwala reacts to signing first professional contract". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Schuler, Michel (9 October 2021). "A 17 ans l'ex-Sochalien Willy Kambwala signe son premier contrat pro avec Manchester United" [At 17, ex-Sochalien Willy Kambwala signs his first professional contract with Manchester United]. estrepublicain.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Tanzi, Loïc (29 December 2021). "Willy Kambwala, cet espoir Français qui a quitté Sochaux pour Manchester United" [Willy Kambwala, this French hope who left Sochaux for Manchester United]. rmcsport.bfmtv.com (in French). Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Premier League: West Ham v Man Utd - Kambwala makes debut". BBC Sport. 23 December 2023. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Kambwala: I am proud to represent United | Manchester United". www.manutd.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Kambwala completes move to Spain". www.manutd.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Willy Kambwala joins Como on loan". Villarreal CF. 26 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  14. ↑ Jomni, A. (19 October 2021). "Découverte: Willy Kambwala, la nouvelle pépite congolaise de Manchester United" [Discovery: Willy Kambwala, Manchester United's new Congolese nugget]. foot-africa.com (in French). Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. ↑ Martin, Richard (25 December 2023). "Who is Willy Kambwala? The France youth international who Man Utd have thrown into the deep end". goal.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Rédaction, La (2 June 2025). "Willy Kambwala Officially Chooses Congo: A Future Pillar for the Leopards".
  17. ↑ "RDC : 2 listes, 4 matchs en 12 jours, 14 nouveaux… La trêve internationale s'annonce folle pour les Léopards" (in French). afrik-foot.com. 11 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "DR Congo 0–2 Uganda". Sofascore. 2 October 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ↑ Willy Kambwala at Soccerway. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  20. ↑ "Manchester City 1–2 Manchester United: Line-ups". BBC Sport. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
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