Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Assani Lukimya

| image = Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti.JPG

| caption = Lukimya after practice with Werder in 2012

| height = 1.89 m

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Uvira, Zaire

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub = 1. FC Monheim

| clubnumber = 5

| youthyears1 = 1997–2000

| youthclubs1 = SV Norden Nordwest 1898

| youthyears2 = 2000–2004

| youthclubs2 = Tasmania-Gropiusstadt

| years1 = 2004–2007

| clubs1 = Hertha BSC II

| caps1 = 54

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2007–2009

| clubs2 = Hansa Rostock II

| caps2 = 14

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 2007–2009

| clubs3 = Hansa Rostock

| caps3 = 12

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2009–2010

| clubs4 = Carl Zeiss Jena

| caps4 = 32

| goals4 = 3

| years5 = 2010–2012

| clubs5 = Fortuna Düsseldorf

| caps5 = 64

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2012–2015

| clubs6 = Werder Bremen

| caps6 = 79

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2016–2018

| clubs7 = Liaoning Whowin

| caps7 = 69

| goals7 = 12

| years8 = 2019–2021

| clubs8 = Uerdingen 05

| caps8 = 82

| goals8 = 7

| years9 = 2022–2023

| clubs9 = MSV Düsseldorf

| caps9 = 50

| goals9 = 20

| years10 = 2024–

| clubs10 = 1. FC Monheim

| caps10 = 28

| goals10 = 5

| nationalyears1 = 2008–2011

| nationalteam1 = DR Congo

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 2 June 2024

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti (born 25 January 1986) is a Congolese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for German Oberliga Niederrhein club 1. FC Monheim.

Club career

Lukimya began his career in Berlin with SV Norden Nordwest 1898, before moving to SV Tasmania-Gropiusstadt 73. In 2004, he was scouted by Hertha BSC, where he played for the reserve team.

After three years with Hertha, he initially signed a one-year contract with FC Hansa Rostock.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} In Rostock, he played for the reserves during his first year, before being promoted to the first team in 2008.{{cite web | url = http://www.fc-hansa.de/index.php?id=268 | title = Assani Lukimya-Mulongoti | website = FC Hansa Rostock | language = de | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081203140750/http://www.fc-hansa.de/index.php?id=268 | archive-date= 3 December 2008}} In February 2008 he was rewarded with a professional contract running from July 2008 till 2010.{{cite news|title=Lukimya-Mulongoti erhält in Rostock Vertrag|trans-title=Lukimya-Mulongoti gets a contract in Rostock|url=http://www.spox.com/de/sport/fussball/bundesliga/0802/News/Lukimya-Mulongoti-erhaelt-in-Rostock-Vertrag.html|accessdate=18 January 2016|work=Spox|date=8 February 2008|language=German}} On 9 March 2009, he was suspended from the senior team, and returned to play for the reserve team.{{cite news|title=Rostock und Lukimya gehen getrennte Wege|trans-title=Rostock and Lukimya part ways|url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/2009-08-18-neuss-rostock-und-lukimya-gehen-getrennte-wege/1582996.html|accessdate=18 January 2016|work=Tagesspiegel|date=16 August 2009|language=German}} On 18 August 2009, he was released from his contract and became a free agent.

He subsequently signed with FC Carl Zeiss Jena until 2010. On 20 April 2010, he announced his departure for the end of the season and signed for Fortuna Düsseldorf on a two-year contract the same day.{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/lukimya-sagt-der-fortuna-zu-523907/artikel | title = Lukimya sagt der Fortuna zu | language = German | publisher = Kicker | access-date = 31 July 2010 | date = 20 April 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100718080900/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2bundesliga/startseite/523907/artikel_Lukimya-sagt-der-Fortuna-zu.html| archive-date= 18 July 2010 | url-status=live}}

On 24 May 2012, Lukimya joined Werder Bremen, signing a contract until 30 June 2015. On 26 January 2016, Bremen announced Lukimya would leave the club for Liaoning Whowin. The reported transfer fee was €2 million.{{cite news|title=Lukimya-Wechsel fix|trans-title=Lukimya move sealed|url=http://www.kreiszeitung.de/werder-bremen/werder-bremen-wechsel-assani-lukimya-perfekt-6067218.html|accessdate=26 January 2016|work=Kreiszeitung Syke|date=26 January 2016|language=German}}

On 31 January 2019, Lukimya returned to Germany, joining Uerdingen 05 on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://kfc-uerdingen.de/artikel/2019-01-31-assani-lukimya-kommt-zum-kfc/|title=Assani Lukimya kommt zum KFC|publisher=KFC Uerdingen 05|date=31 January 2019|accessdate=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201065309/https://kfc-uerdingen.de/artikel/2019-01-31-assani-lukimya-kommt-zum-kfc/|archive-date=1 February 2019|url-status=dead}}

International career

His first game for the DR Congo national team was on 20 August 2008 against Togo in a friendly game.{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/lukimya-von-rostock-nach-jena-513290/artikel | title = Lukimya von Rostock nach Jena | language = German | publisher = Kicker | access-date = 31 July 2010 | date = 18 August 2009}}