Paul Kalambayi

Paul Kalambayi

Kalambayi after an AFC Wimbledon U18 match in 2016.
Personal information
Full name	Paul Mbwebwe Mbiya-Kalambayi [1]
Date of birth	(1999-07-09) 9 July 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth	Dulwich, England
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [2]
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	AFC Wimbledon
Number	30
Youth career
	Dulwich Village
	Evolution Sports & Health Academy
2013–2015	Brentford
2015–2016	AFC Wimbledon
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2024	AFC Wimbledon	88	(1)
2018	→ Tonbridge Angels (loan)	7	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:46, 3 May 2024 (UTC)

Paul Mbwebwe Mbiya-Kalambayi (born 9 July 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for EFL League Two club AFC Wimbledon. He will become a free agent on 30 June 2024.

Kalambayi is a product of the Brentford and AFC Wimbledon academies. He made his professional debut for AFC Wimbledon in 2017.

Career

AFC Wimbledon

Early years (2015–2018)

After spells with Dulwich Village, Evolution Sports & Health Academy and Brentford, ^[3] Kalambayi joined the academy at League Two club AFC Wimbledon in 2015. ^[4] Despite being age 16, his rate of development saw him feature for the Development Squad before the end of 2015 and he was rewarded his first professional contract in February 2016. ^{[4] [5]} During the remainder of the 2015–16 season, Kalambayi was an unused substitute on two occasions with the first team squad. ^[2] After the Dons' promotion to League One for the 2016–17 season, ^[6] he was named in the first team squad list and was an unused substitute during two of the season's matches. ^{[2] [7]}

Kalambayi received his first call-up of the 2017–18 season as a substitute for an EFL Trophy group stage match versus Barnet and made his senior debut when he replaced Callum Kennedy after 66 minutes of the 4–3 victory. ^[8] He made one further EFL Trophy appearance during the season and spent a month on loan at Isthmian League Premier Division club Tonbridge Angels. ^{[8] [9]}

Breakthrough (2018–present)

Kalambayi was named as the Development Squad captain for the 2018–19 season and his EFL debut came with a start in a 2–1 defeat to Portsmouth on New Year's Day 2019. ^{[10] [11]} The match kicked off a run of five consecutive starting appearances before manager Wally Downes imposed a rest break on him. ^{[2] [12]} Kalambayi made 19 appearances during the 2018–19 season and helped the Dons preserve their League One status on the final day. ^{[11] [13]} He signed a new contract in June 2019 and was a near ever-present during the first four months of the 2019–20 season, ^{[14] [15]} before rupturing ankle ligaments. ^[16] He returned to full training in March 2020, ^[17] but did not appear again during the truncated 2019–20 season. ^{[15] [18]}

Following 19 appearances during 2020–21, ^[19] quadriceps and medial collateral ligament injuries disrupted Kalambayi's 2021–22 season, ^{[20] [21]} restricting him to 16 appearances. ^[22] He scored his first senior goal of his career in a 5–3 EFL Trophy win over Portsmouth on 7 September 2021 and signed a new 2+1⁄2-year contract in January 2022. ^{[22] [23]} Kalambayi made 32 appearances and scored two goals during the 2022–23 season, ^[24] before suffering a season-ending knee injury in March 2023. ^[25] He returned to match play in a behind closed doors friendly on 17 October 2023 and ended the 2023–24 season with seven appearances. ^{[26] [27]} After making 117 appearances and scoring three goals during his seven seasons as a senior player with AFC Wimbledon, ^[28] Kalambayi departed the club when his contract expired at the end of the 2023–24 season. ^[29]

Personal life

Kalambayi attended The Charter School. ^[30] He is of DR Congo descent. ^[31]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 April 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
AFC Wimbledon	2016–17 [32]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2017–18 [8]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	2 [lower-alpha 1]	0	2	0
	2018–19 [11]	League One	17	0	1	0	0	0	1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	19	0
	2019–20 [15]	League One	16	0	2	0	1	0	3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	22	0
	2020–21 [19]	League One	14	0	0	0	1	0	4 [lower-alpha 1]	0	19	0
	2021–22 [22]	League One	13	0	0	0	2	0	1 [lower-alpha 1]	1	16	1
	2022–23 [24]	League Two	26	1	3	0	1	0	2 [lower-alpha 1]	1	32	2
	2023–24 [27]	League Two	2	0	1	0	0	0	4 [lower-alpha 1]	0	7	0
	Total		88	1	7	0	5	0	17	2	117	3
Tonbridge Angels (loan)	2017–18 [33]	Isthmian League Premier Division	7	0	—		—		—		7	0
Career total			95	1	7	0	5	0	17	2	124	3

1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

References

1. "EFL club list of registered players as at 20th May 2017" (PDF). p. 43. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
2. Paul Kalambayi at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
3. "Academy Players Produced". Evolution Sports & Health Academy. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
4. Slavin, Chris. "Paul commits to the club" . Retrieved 2 July 2017.
5. "Paul set to face Southend" . Retrieved 2 July 2017.
6. AFC Wimbledon at the Football Club History Database
7. "Squad numbers for 2016/17" . Retrieved 2 July 2017.
8. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
9. "Young Dons Defender Becomes An Angel For A Month". Pitchero Non-League. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
10. "Coaching tips had Paul ready for surprise call-up". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
11. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
12. "AFC Wimbledon set to hand new deal to impressive teen centre-back". South London News. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
13. "Bradford City 0–0 AFC Wimbledon: Dons survive after goalless draw". BBC Sport. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
14. "Home-grown Dons defender rewarded with new contract". AFC Wimbledon. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
15. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
16. "Glyn backs young team to rise to the challenge against Oxford". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
17. "Dons duo step up return to first team action" . Retrieved 5 September 2020.
18. "League One & Two seasons ended early". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
19. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
20. "Paul ruled out for a month after injury confirmed". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
21. "Injury update on Paul Kalambayi". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
22. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
23. "Paul signs new contract until 2024". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
24. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
25. "Squad update ahead of Barrow challenge". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
26. "On the comeback trail! Defensive duo primed for return". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
27. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
28. Paul Kalambayi at Soccerbase
29. "Retained List 2023/24". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
30. "Best ever GCSE results". www.charter.southwark.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
31. Paul Kalambayi at WorldFootball.net
32. "Games played by Paul Kalambayi in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
33. "Paul Kalambayi – Angels First Team". Tonbridge Angels Online. Retrieved 19 March 2018.

External links

• Paul Kalambayi at Soccerbase
• Paul Kalambayi at afcwimbledon.co.uk