Joyce Katulondi signs two-year deal with Bulgarian top-flight club Lokomotiv Sofia

Joyce Katulondi Kati has signed a two-year contract with Bulgarian first-division side Lokomotiv Sofia, completing the Congolese centre-forward’s move to Europe after previous spells in Morocco and Algeria.

The agreement represents a major step in the career of the young striker, whose football journey began on local pitches in Ilebo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From the SNCC Stadium, located opposite the Central Bank of Congo in the Kanga Motema district, to major international venues, Katulondi has progressed through each stage with notable determination.

The number nine first established himself in local football with AS Mozindo and AS Pambu. He then made his breakthrough with FC Onatra of Ilebo during the LIFKOC provincial championship, where his goalscoring instinct and athletic profile attracted attention.

That form earned him a move to AC Dibumba of Tshikapa. His steady development soon led to opportunities at the highest level of domestic football, where he became a prominent attacking option for AS Maniema Union and later Daring Club Motema Pembe (DCMP).

Katulondi built a strong reputation as a finisher in the Congolese game before taking his career abroad. His first experience in North Africa came with Hassania Agadir in Morocco, followed by a spell with CS Constantine in Algeria.

His arrival at Lokomotiv Sofia now takes him into the Bulgarian top flight and marks the latest stage of a career that has taken him from neighbourhood football in Ilebo to European football.

The two-year contract brings Katulondi’s progression into a new phase. After developing through the Congolese provincial and national leagues and gaining experience in Morocco and Algeria, the striker will now continue his career in Bulgaria.

From the legendary SOLBENA Stadium to the pitches of Bulgaria’s elite division, the move is described as a decisive turning point for the centre-forward. He will now look to make his mark in Europe after establishing himself as a reliable goalscorer in the domestic game and testing himself in two North African leagues.

For Lokomotiv Sofia, the deal adds a Congolese forward whose career has been shaped by gradual progress across several levels of the sport. For Katulondi, it is the latest reward for a route that began with AS Mozindo and AS Pambu, continued through FC Onatra, AC Dibumba, AS Maniema Union and DCMP, and then took him to Hassania Agadir and CS Constantine.

The move is now official, with Katulondi committed to Lokomotiv Sofia for the next two seasons.