Michael Luyambula

Michael Ngemba Luyambula (born 8 June 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Regionalliga West club Wuppertaler SV.

Born in Germany, Luyambula came through Borussia Dortmund's youth system but was released without playing for the club's first team. He joined English second-tier club Birmingham City in 2018. He spent time on loan to Hungerford Town of the National League South in 2018–19, to League Two club Crawley Town in 2019–20, during which he played in the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy, and to AFC Telford United of the National League North in 2020. Released by Birmingham at the end of the 2019–20 season, he returned to Germany with VfB Lübeck, newly promoted to the 3. Liga. He moved on to Sportfreunde Lotte for the 2021–22 season.

Luyambula was named in a long list for the DR Congo under-20 team in 2018, and was called up to the senior squad's training camp in June 2017.

Club career Early life and club career Luyambula was born in Neumünster, In compliance with transfer restrictions imposed on the club by the English Football League, he could play only for Birmingham's under-23 team, for which he made 12 appearances in the first half of the 2018–19 season. In mid-December, he returned to Hungerford on loan for an initial month, and after the EFL gave their permission for his Birmingham contract to be extended to the end of the season, the loan was likewise extended. Luyumbula was the regular goalkeeper during the second half of Hungerford's season. He made 20 league appearances and helped his team avoid relegation in the final fixture.

Crawley Town After Luyambula signed a one-year contract with Birmingham, he joined League Two (fourth-tier) club Crawley Town on loan for the 2019–20 season. Crawley manager Gabriele Cioffi hoped he would "put pressure on" established first-team goalkeeper Glenn Morris. Luyambula made his first competitive appearance for Crawley in the starting eleven for the EFL Cup first-round match away to Walsall on 13 August 2019; his team won 3–2. and then facing a penalty shoot-out to eliminate Stoke City. He also appeared in the EFL Trophy, but made no league appearances, and was recalled by his parent club in January 2020 with the intention of finding first-team football for him.

AFC Telford United Luyambula signed for AFC Telford United on 30 January 2020 on loan until 16 May. He played five times in the National League North before the season was first suspended and then ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Return to German football Luyambula returned to his native northern Germany and, on 4 June, signed a one-year contract with VfB Lübeck, newly promoted to the 3. Liga for the 2020–21 season. He spent the season as backup to Lukas Raeder, made no first-team appearances, and signed for Regionalliga West club Sportfreunde Lotte in August 2021 after a trial.

International career Luyambula was named in a 58-man long list for the DR Congo under-20 team in 2018, and was called up to the senior squad's training camp in June 2017.

Career statistics