Paul Ngongo

Last updated

Paul Ngongo
Personal information
Full name Paul Ngongo Iversen
Date of birth (2000-05-23) 23 May 2000 (age 25)
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Striker
Youth career
Skjold
Hvidovre
–2020 Wingate Bulldogs
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2021 Frem 14 (14)
2021–2024 Kolding 47 (22)
2024– Aalesund 37 (11)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 November 2025

Paul Ngongo Iversen (born 23 May 2000) is a Danish footballer who plays as a striker for Aalesunds FK.

Contents

Personal life

Hailing from Copenhagen, he is of partially Congolese descent. [1]

While playing in the lower divisions, Ngongo also ran a construction company for two years until it went bankrupt. [2]

Career

Ngongo played youth football for BK Skjold, then on the U17 and U19 teams of Hvidovre IF. Instead of progressing into senior football, he went to the United States to play collegiately for the Wingate Bulldogs. The COVID-19 pandemic then contributed to his returning home to Copenhagen in 2020. [3] [4]

Ngongo made his debut in the 2019-20 Danish 2nd Division, scoring 3 times in 4 appearances, followed by 11 goals in 10 appearances in 2020-21. He was then brought to Jutland club Kolding IF, winning promotion from the 2022-23 Danish 2nd Division. [5] He was declared Player of the Year in Kolding IF in 202223. [6] Ngongo also became vice captain after spending 5 months in Kolding. In the summer window of 2024, Ngongo was bought by Norwegian First Division club Aalesunds FK, in what was described as Kolding's largest sale ever. [7] [8] [9]

Ngongo knew of other players who had become professional outside of the elite clubs' academy systems. In BK Frem he played with Tonni Adamsen who was a part-time window cleaner at the time, and Henrik Meister had recently moved to a Big 5 club from the Norwegian league. [3]

In 2024, Aalesund struggled to avoid relegation, [10] but Ngongo received "half a promise" that the club would manage to turn things around with a new manager and an influx of new players. [3] After the club was saved, the 2025 season was instead a battle for promotion. Aalesund also eliminated Bodø/Glimt from the 2025 Norwegian Football Cup. [11]

References

  1. Mikkelsen, Kim (5 November 2023). "Ngongo har høvdingeblod fra Congo i årerne, han vil opleve verden som fodboldspiller, og så nyder han, at modspillerne ikke kan lide ham". Jydske-Vestkysten (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  2. Søderberg, Palle Anholm (20 August 2024). "Professionel fodboldspillers byggefirma i Vejle gik konkurs torsdag: Fredag scorede han sejrsmål for sin klub". Vejle Amts Folkeblad (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Kjeldsen, Oscar Valdorff (30 September 2024). "Vil gøre som Meister, Vallys og Adamsen". Tipsbladet (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  4. "2019 Men's Soccer Roster: 9 Paul Ngongo". Wingate Bulldogs. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  5. Soccerway
  6. Jensen, Anders (19 June 2023). "Kolding-profil forlænger: Det er fantastisk". Bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  7. Mikkelsen, Kim (30 May 2024). "Sælger klubben sin publikumsfavorit? Her er hans egen reaktion på interessen". Jydske-Vestkysten (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  8. Abolhosseini, Farzam (31 August 2024). "Afsløring: Norsk klub byder millionbeløb på Ngongo". Tipsbladet (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  9. Nelausen, Raymund (2 September 2024). "Rekordsalg bekræftet: Kolding sælger Ngongo". Tipsbladet (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  10. Mikkelsen, Kim (8 October 2024). "Hvor bliver målene af? Sådan går det de topscorere, Kolding sendte ud af døren". Jydske-Vestkysten (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  11. Wacker, Ludvig Anton (12 May 2025). "Ngongo og co. slog Bodø ud: Fandens fantastisk". Bold.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2025.