Joyce Katulondi Kati has signed a two-year contract with Bulgarian top-flight club Lokomotiv Sofia, completing the Congolese striker’s move to European football after previous spells in Morocco and Algeria.
The centre-forward’s agreement represents a major step in a career that began on local pitches in Ilebo and has taken him through the Congolese game, the Moroccan league and Algeria’s top flight. The number nine has steadily built his reputation as a powerful and reliable goalscorer, earning opportunities at each stage through his athletic profile and eye for goal.
Katulondi’s football journey started at the Stade SNCC, located opposite the Banque Centrale du Congo in the Kanga Motema district. From those neighbourhood beginnings, he progressed through several clubs before reaching the professional level and eventually securing his move to Lokomotiv Sofia.
He first made a name for himself locally with AS Mozindo and AS Pambu. His performances then attracted wider attention during his time with FC Onatra of Ilebo in the LIFKOC provincial championship, where his finishing ability and physical qualities helped establish him as one of the area’s leading attacking prospects.
That progress led to a move to AC Dibumba of Tshikapa. The striker continued to develop there before earning a route into the national elite. He subsequently featured in attack for AS Maniema Union and Daring Club Motema Pembe (DCMP), gaining further experience at the highest domestic level.
By then, Katulondi had developed a strong reputation as a finisher in the Congolese game. His next challenge took him abroad, beginning with Hassania Agadir in Morocco. He later continued his career with CS Constantine in Algeria, adding valuable experience in North African football.
The move to Lokomotiv Sofia now gives the centre-forward an opportunity to continue that progression in Bulgaria’s top division. His two-year contract marks the latest stage of a career that has taken him from the Stade SNCC in Ilebo to the professional grounds of the Maghreb and now to the Bulgarian top flight.
From the SOLBENA stadium to Bulgaria’s elite, Katulondi has crossed another important threshold. The Congolese striker will now look to make his mark with Lokomotiv Sofia and add a new chapter to a journey that began in the neighbourhood football of Ilebo.
