Pierre Kalulu

Meet Pierre Kalulu, the dynamic French defender whose rapid ascent through European football has captivated fans. From his beginnings in Lyon to claiming a Serie A title with AC Milan, and now joining Juventus, Kalulu's journey is a testament to versatility and relentless dedication. His adaptability on the pitch, shifting between right-back and central defense, makes him a truly remarkable player to watch. Pierre Kalulu's unique defensive versatility has allowed him to excel in multiple positions, proving invaluable for top-tier clubs. His pivotal role in AC Milan's 2021-22 Serie A triumph, forming a formidable partnership in central defense, marked a significant highlight in his early career. Despite career challenges and injuries, Kalulu continues to evolve, making a high-profile move to Juventus and earning recognition on the international stage.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

Meet Pierre Kalulu, the dynamic French defender whose rapid ascent through European football has captivated fans. From his beginnings in Lyon to claiming a Serie A title with AC Milan, and now joining Juventus, Kalulu's journey is a testament to versatility and relentless dedication. His adaptability on the pitch, shifting between right-back and central defense, makes him a truly remarkable player to watch.

The Rise of a Versatile Defender

Pierre Kazeye Rommel Kalulu Kyatengwa, born in Lyon, France, on June 5, 2000, embodies the modern footballer. With Congolese heritage, his roots trace back to Kabimba and Likasi, but his destiny was forged on the French pitches. He officially gained French nationality in December 2000 through his parents' naturalization.

Nurturing Talent at Lyon

Kalulu's footballing journey truly began when he moved from his youth club Saint-Priest to the prestigious Olympique Lyon academy in 2010. For eight years, he honed his skills through various youth departments, primarily as a right-back. By June 2018, he was elevated to Lyon's reserve team, steadily climbing the ladder.

His dedication finally earned him a call-up to the senior team for a Ligue 1 match against Amiens in March 2020. Though he remained on the bench, it was a clear signal of his readiness for professional football—a glimpse of the big stage he would soon command.

A Bold Move to AC Milan

In the summer of 2020, Kalulu made a significant leap, moving to Italy to join Serie A giants AC Milan, signing a contract until 2025. This transfer marked a pivotal moment, challenging him to adapt to a new league and a more demanding tactical environment.

Immediate Impact in Europe and Serie A

His professional debut came swiftly on December 10, 2020, in a Europa League game against Sparta Prague. Playing as a left-sided centre-back, he helped Milan secure a 1-0 win and a clean sheet, earning immediate praise. Just three days later, an injury to teammate Matteo Gabbia thrust him into his Serie A debut against Parma.

The momentum continued to build. In his very first Serie A start, against Genoa on December 16, Kalulu scored his debut senior career goal, an equalizer in an eventual 2-2 draw. It was an explosive start, proving his capabilities at the highest level of Italian football.

The Scudetto Season: A Defensive Revelation

The 2021-22 season proved to be Kalulu's breakout year. Following an injury to Alessio Romagnoli, he seized the opportunity, forming an impenetrable central defensive partnership with Fikayo Tomori. This duo became instrumental in Milan's pursuit of the Serie A title.

A highlight included their stellar performance against Napoli's formidable striker Victor Osimhen, leading to a crucial 1-0 victory. A week later, Kalulu scored his first goal of the season against Empoli—a powerful curling shot from outside the box—again securing a 1-0 win and keeping Milan at the top of the league. With Kalulu and Tomori anchoring the defense, Milan kept consecutive clean sheets, a rare feat that season.

Navigating Challenges and Positional Shifts

The 2022-23 season saw Kalulu showcasing his incredible versatility, featuring in various defensive roles: as a right-sided centre-back, part of a back-three, and even as a right full-back. However, as the season progressed and manager Stefano Pioli reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, Kalulu faced increased competition for his starting spot from the emerging Malick Thiaw and captain Davide Calabria.

The 2023-24 season brought further challenges, as a series of injuries severely limited his playing time to just 11 appearances across all competitions. Despite these setbacks, he displayed resilience, returning to fitness by May 2024 and making three late-season appearances.

A New Chapter with Juventus

On August 21, 2024, Kalulu embarked on a new adventure, joining fellow Serie A powerhouse Juventus on a one-year loan deal, valued at €3.3 million. The agreement included an option for Juventus to make the move permanent for an additional €14 million at the end of the loan, a deal that was officially confirmed on June 6, 2025.

Just weeks later, on June 26, Kalulu etched his name into the history books—though perhaps not in the way he intended. During a FIFA Club World Cup match against Manchester City, he scored an own goal, becoming the first-ever player from a European club to do so in a FIFA club competition. It was a moment of unfortunate distinction in an otherwise promising start.

Donning the French Colours

Kalulu has been a consistent presence in France's junior national teams since June 2018, participating in tournaments like the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. His dedication to his national team eventually culminated in his senior France debut on June 5, 2025, against Spain in a UEFA Nations League match held in Stuttgart.

A Family of Footballers

Football runs in the Kalulu family! Pierre is not the only one to grace the professional pitches. He is the younger brother of fellow footballers Aldo Kalulu and Gédéon Kalulu, and also the older brother of Joseph Kalulu, making them a true sporting dynasty.

Career Honours

Throughout his burgeoning career, Pierre Kalulu has already amassed significant silverware, highlighting his impact on the teams he's represented.

Honour	Year
Serie A	2021–22
UEFA Nations League third place	2024–25

Article

Pierre Kalulu

Pierre Kazeye Rommel Kalulu Kyatengwa (pronounced [ka.lu.lu]; born 5 June 2000) is a French professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Juventus and the France national team. Having played for most of his youth career as a right-back, he began to play in central defense as his career progressed to the senior level.

Early life

Pierre Kalulu

Kalulu was born in the 8th arrondissement of Lyon, France, and is Congolese by descent. His father was born in Kabimba, Belgian Congo, and his mother in Likasi, Congo-Léopoldville. He acquired French nationality on 26 December 2000 through the collective effect of his parents' naturalization.

Club career

Lyon

Kalulu moved from his youth club Saint-Priest to the youth academy of Olympique Lyon in the summer of 2010. In Lyon, he passed through the different youth departments from 2010 to 2018, and was elevated to their reserve team in June 2018. Ahead of the home game against Amiens played on 5 March 2020, Kalulu received his first ever call-up to the senior team. However, he remained on the bench for the entire game.

AC Milan

In the summer of 2020, Kalulu moved to Italy to join AC Milan, and signed a contract until 2025. On 10 December, he made his professional debut, playing the entire Europa League game against Sparta Prague as a left-sided centre-back; as Milan won 1–0, he was praised for helping the team keep a clean sheet. Three days later, on 13 December, Kalulu made his debut in Serie A, replacing the injured Matteo Gabbia in the fifth minute of a home game against Parma. In the following away league game against Genoa played on 16 December, he made his first-ever start in Serie A and scored a debut goal in his senior career, equalizing the score in the eventual 2–2 draw.

During the 2021–22 season, after an injury to Alessio Romagnoli, Kalulu started the match against Napoli on 6 March 2022, partnering in central defence with Fikayo Tomori; he helped Milan to clinch a 1–0 win, impressing against Napoli's striker Victor Osimhen. On 12 March against Empoli, Kalulu scored his first goal of the season, a powerful curling shot from outside the box, as Milan managed to win 1–0 and stay top of the league. With him and Tomori again in central defence, Milan kept clean sheets in two consecutive Serie A games for the first time in 2022.

In the 2022–23 season, Kalulu played in several different positions all throughout the season such as a right-sided centre-back next to Fikayo Tomori, on the right of a back-three with Malick Thiaw in the middle and Tomori on the left, and as a right full-back in a back-four. However, towards the season's end, as manager Stefano Pioli switched back to 4–2–3–1 formation, Kalulu began to lose his place in the starting XI as a centre-back to Thiaw, the summer signing who emerged in the second half of the season, and team captain Davide Calabria as a right full-back.

The 2023–24 season further undermined Kalulu's career at Milan, with him limited to just 11 appearances in all competitions, mainly due to several injuries requiring months of rehabilitation. However, he managed to return to fitness by May 2024 and made three appearances during that month.

Juventus

On 21 August 2024, fellow Serie A side Juventus announced the signing of Kalulu on a one-year loan, worth €3.3 million, with an option to buy at the end of the loan for a further €14 million. The move was made official on 6 June 2025. Three weeks later, on 26 June, he scored an own goal in a 2–5 loss to Manchester City in the last match of the group stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first-ever player from a European club to score an own goal in a FIFA club competition.

International career

Pierre Kalulu

Since June 2018, Kalulu has played through the various national junior teams of France, taking part in the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Kalulu made his senior France debut on 5 June 2025 against Spain in the UEFA Nations League, at MHPArena in Stuttgart.

Personal life

Pierre Kalulu

Kalulu is the younger brother of footballers Aldo Kalulu and Gédéon Kalulu. He is the older brother of Joseph Kalulu.

Career statistics

Club

<table><thead><tr><th>Club</th><th>Season</th><th>League</th><th>National cup</th><th>Europe</th><th>Other</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Division</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td><td>Apps</td><td>Goals</td></tr><tr><td>Lyon B</td><td>2018–19</td><td>Championnat National 2</td><td>17</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>17</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2019–20</td><td>Championnat National 2</td><td>19</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>19</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>36</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>36</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>AC Milan</td><td>2020–21</td><td>Serie A</td><td>13</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>18</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Serie A</td><td>28</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>37</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23</td><td>Serie A</td><td>34</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>10</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>46</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Serie A</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>11</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>84</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>21</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>112</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Juventus (loan)</td><td>2024–25</td><td>Serie A</td><td>29</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>43</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Juventus</td><td>2025–26</td><td>Serie A</td><td>29</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>10</td><td>0</td><td>—</td><td>41</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Juventus total</td><td>58</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>18</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>84</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Career total</td><td>178</td><td>6</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>39</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>232</td><td>6</td></tr></tbody></table>

International

<table><thead><tr><th>National team</th><th>Year</th><th>Apps</th><th>Goals</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>France</td><td>2025</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>2</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>3</td><td>0</td></tr></tbody></table>

Honours

Pierre Kalulu

• Serie A: 2021–22

• UEFA Nations League third place: 2024–25