Abdu Lumala Explained

Abdu Lumala
Birth Date:21 July 1997
Birth Place:Uganda
Height:1.70 m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Gokulam Kerala
Youthclubs1:Gualövs GoIF[1]
Youthclubs2:Mjällby AIF
Years1:2015
Caps1:24
Goals1:3
Years2:2016–2019
Caps2:10
Goals2:0
Years3:2017
Caps3:10
Goals3:1
Years4:2017
Clubs4:Helsingborgs IF (loan)
Caps4:10
Goals4:1
Years5:2018
Clubs5:IFK Värnamo (loan)
Caps5:22
Goals5:0
Years6:2019
Clubs6:Syrianska FC (loan)
Caps6:9
Goals6:1
Years7:2019–2022
Clubs7:Pyramids
Caps7:4
Goals7:0
Years8:2022–2024
Clubs8:Vipers SC
Years9:2024
Clubs9:Slaven Belupo
Caps9:4
Goals9:0
Years10:2024–
Clubs10:Gokulam Kerala
Nationalyears1:2019–
Nationalteam1:Uganda
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0

Abdu Lumala (born 21 July 1997) is an Ugandan professional footballer who plays as a forward for I-League club Gokulam Kerala and the Uganda national team.

Club career

Early years

Abdu grew up with his grandmother in the village of Kataba since his mother had died when he was just a few months old and since the father was unknown.[2] When he was 10 he was given a Henrik Larsson-shirt as a birthday present by his aunt. In hope of receiving a better life his grandmother sent him away to the capital Kampala when he was 16. Abdu took many jobs, mostly washing cars before he met a few white Europeans who managed to get him on a plane to Sturup Airport.

Sweden

He was left alone on the streets of Malmö and there he contacted Migrationsverket. They managed to get accommodation for Abdu in the little town of Bromölla. There he started training with the local club Ifö/Bromölla playing in the Swedish 5th tier, but after not managing to find any football shoes he and a friend moved to 9th tier side Gualövs GoIF. He was instantly made captain and after scoring 20 goals in 10 games big local club Mjällby AIF signed him in the summer of 2014. He played the rest of the year with the U17s and U19s. Before the next season Abdu was moved up to the A-Team playing in Swedish second division Superettan. He impressed, scoring 3 goals in 24 games being only 17 when the season started. The rumours of his talent spread and clubs like Malmö FF and Olympiacos wanting to sign him.

Kalmar FF

Abdu instead ended up in Swedish top flight club Kalmar FF. In his first season, he played 10 league matches.

Loans

Ahead of the 2017 season Abdu was loaned out to Superettan club Varbergs BoIS. After half a season with the club, he returned to Kalmar FF just to be loaned out once again, this time to his idol Henrik Larsson's mother club Helsingborgs IF. He made his debut in a game against GAIS. At the back of Abdu's shirt it says "Lumalinho".[3]

Pyramids FC

In July 2019, Abdu joined Egyptian Premier League club Pyramids FC where he linked up with former Uganda coach Sébastien Desabre.[4]

Slaven Belupo

On 27 March 2024, Abdu returned to Europe and signed a contract with the Croatian club Slaven Belupo.[5]

Gokulam Kerala

In July 2024, Abdu joined Indian I-League club Gokulam Kerala.[6]

International career

He made his Uganda national team debut as a starter on 9 June 2019, in a 0–0 friendly tie versus Turkmenistan.[7]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupsContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gualövs GoIF2014Division 7 Blekinge10201020
Mjällby AIF2015Superettan2433120294
Kalmar FF2016Allsvenskan10052152
Varbergs BoIS (loan)2017Superettan101101
Helsingborgs IF (loan)2017Superettan101101
IFK Värnamo (loan)2017Superettan2202020260
Syrianska FC (loan)2019Superettan9191
Career total9526103004010929

International

Notes and References

  1. http://www.svenskelitfotboll.se/foraldralos-och-overgiven-nytt-superlofte/ Föräldralös och övergiven nytt superlöfte
  2. Web site: Föräldralös och övergiven nytt superlöfte . svenskelitfotboll.se. 21 May 2015 . 15 October 2017.
  3. Web site: Det är en saga. 29 August 2017. Aftonbladet. Swedish. 15 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Wagih . Ahmed . Pyramids sign Ibrahim Hassan, Lumala Abdu . KingFut . 1 August 2019 . 31 July 2019.
  5. Web site: Slaven Belupo. Abdu Lumala novi je igrač Slaven Belupa. Abdu Lumala is the new player of Slaven Belup. 27 March 2024. 14 May 2024. hr.
  6. Web site: Player profile :: Lumala Abdu :: Transfers. 20 July 2024. 20 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240720090610/https://www.besoccer.com/player/transfers/lumala-abdu. BeSoccer.
  7. Web site: National Football Teams. Uganda v Turkmenistan game report. 9 June 2019.