Jody Lukoki

Jody Lukoki (15 November 1992 – 9 May 2022) was a Congolese-Dutch professional footballer who played as a winger for various clubs and the DR Congo national team.

Jody Lukoki
Lukoki with Ludogorets Razgrad in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-11-15)15 November 1992[1]
Place of birth Kindu, Zaire
Date of death 9 May 2022(2022-05-09) (aged 29)
Place of death Almere, Netherlands
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
2002 VVA/Spartaan
2002–2003 Young Boys Haarlem
2003–2012 Ajax
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2014 Ajax 24 (5)
2013–2014 → SC Cambuur (loan) 32 (2)
2014–2015 PEC Zwolle 33 (2)
2015–2020 Ludogorets Razgrad II 6 (0)
2015–2020 Ludogorets Razgrad 102 (17)
2020–2021 Yeni Malatyaspor 10 (0)
2021–2022 Twente 0 (0)
Total 207 (26)
International career
2010–2011 Netherlands U19 11 (2)
2012–2013 Netherlands U20 8 (0)
2013 Netherlands U21 1 (0)
2015–2020 DR Congo 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lukoki progressed through the famed Ajax youth academy, making his professional debut in 2011 against rivals Feyenoord. After failing to make his definitive breakthrough he was sent on loan to Cambuur, before joining PEC Zwolle on a permanent deal in 2014. He moved abroad after one season, signing with Bulgarian club Ludogorets Razgrad where he enjoyed considerable success. Afterwards, short spells followed with Yeni Malatyaspor and Twente.

He was a Netherlands youth international and gained caps at U19, U20 and U21 level. He received his first call-up for DR Congo in 2015, and represented the country on three occasions.

On 9 May 2022, Lukoki died at the age of 29 of a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Almere, after an argument with his family had turned violent. Months earlier, he had been convicted of domestic violence leading to his contract with Twente being terminated.

Club career

Early life and career

Lukoki was born in Zaire but immigrated to the Netherlands with his parents and his twin brother, NAC Breda player Madjer Lukoki at a young age due to the First Congo War. Growing up in Amsterdam, he joined the local club VVA/Spartaan at the age of ten.

Ajax

After playing for VVA/Spartaan and Young Boys Haarlem, Lukoki joined the youth ranks of Ajax. He made his debut for the first team in the 2–0 home win against rivals Feyenoord on 19 January 2011, replacing Lorenzo Ebecilio in the 80th minute. He immediately got the home fans on his side by giving Tim de Cler a nutmeg when the ball was already out of play.[2] He would go on to make his second appearance in the 3–2 away loss against rivals ADO Den Haag on 20 March 2011.[3] The 2011–12 season started with Lukoki scoring his first career Eredivisie goal in his season debut against Roda JC.

SC Cambuur (loan)

Having contributed to three national titles in his first three seasons with Ajax, Lukoki would remain third-choice winger under Frank de Boer and was granted permission to explore other options. On 2 August 2013, he was loaned out to newly promoted SC Cambuur for the season.[4]

PEC Zwolle

On 7 August 2014, it was announced that Lukoki would transfer to PEC Zwolle on a three-year contract for a reported €1.5 million, joining the team that had recently defeated Ajax in the KNVB Cup final as well as the Johan Cruijff Shield.[5] On 21 August 2014, Lukoki scored PEC Zwolle's first-ever goal in a continental competition, when they faced Sparta Prague in the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League play-off round. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with Lukoki scoring in the 77th minute in the club's European debut.[6]

Ludogorets

On 26 June 2015, Lukoki signed with the Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad.[7] The Congolese scored three goals in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round matches against Mladost Podgorica. He scored his first goal in the league on 26 November 2016 in match against Botev Plovdiv.[8] During his time at Ludogorets Razgrad he was nicknamed "Синът на вятъра" (English: "The Son of the Wind").[9] On 28 September 2017, Lukoki netted the winning goal in the 2–1 victory over 1899 Hoffenheim in a UEFA Europa League group stage match.[10] On 1 April 2020, Ludogorets Razgrad announced that they had mutually agreed to terminate Lukoki's contract, allowing him to return to the Netherlands.[11]

Later career

In July 2020, Lukoki signed a two-year contract with Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor.[12] He made his competitive debut on 18 September in a 1–1 league draw against Göztepe. His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 26 April 2021, after making 12 total appearances for the club.[13][14]

After leaving Malatyaspor as a free agent, Lukoki returned to the Netherlands, joining Eredivisie club Twente on a two-year contract in June 2021.[15] A few days after signing, he suffered a serious knee injury during practice, which sidelined him for a season.[16] Twente released Lukoki on 17 February 2022, shortly after he was convicted of domestic violence.[17][18]

International career

Lukoki held dual citizenship and was eligible to represent either Netherlands or DR Congo at senior level. He represented Netherlands at various youth levels, reaching third place with the U-19 team at the Festival International 'Espoirs' 2012 in Toulon, France.[19][20] On 19 March 2015, Lukoki received his first call for the DR Congo team for the match against Iraq and earned his first cap in that game.[21]

Personal life

Domestic violence conviction

In January 2022, Lukoki was convicted of domestic violence, receiving a two-week suspended sentence with a probationary period of three years. He was also ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.[18]

Death

On 9 May 2022,[22] Lukoki died at the age of 29 of a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Almere, after being beaten by his family in an argument.[23][24]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental[lower-alpha 1] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ajax 2010–11 Eredivisie 2000100030
2011–12 62304000132
2012–13 163304000233
Total 245609000395
Cambuur (loan) 2013–14 Eredivisie 3222000—342
PEC Zwolle 2014–15 Eredivisie 3325121—404
Ludogorets Razgrad II 2015–16 Second League 40———40
Ludogorets Razgrad 2015–16 A Group 200201000230
2016–17 First League 151407300264
2017–18 2872011100418
2018–19 286311111[lower-alpha 2]0438
2019–20 113111151[lower-alpha 2]12410
Total 1021712241102115730
Career total 1952625342112127441
  1. Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in Bulgarian Supercup

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
DR Congo 201520
201910
Total30

Honours

Ajax[13]

Ludogorets Razgrad

References
  1. "Jody Lukoki Profile". UEFA.com. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  2. "Lukoki humiliates De Cler" (in Dutch). 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  3. "ADO beats Ajax in The Hague" (in Dutch). NOS.nl. 20 March 2011.
  4. "Lukoki, trainer geeft vertrouwen" (in Dutch). Ajax Showtime. 2 August 2013.
  5. "Jody Lukoki voor drie seizoenen naar PEC Zwolle" (in Dutch). RTV Oost. 7 August 2013.
  6. "PEC spelt gelijk Sparta Praag bij debuut in Europa" (in Dutch). NU Sport. 22 August 2014.
  7. "Официално: Лудогорец подписа с конгоански национал" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  8. "Лудогорец взе поредна жертва в Първа лига и си осигури сериозна преднина на върха (видео)". Sportal.bg.
  9. ""Синът на вятъра" и Натанаел разпиляха Септември (видео)".
  10. Evtimov, Emil (28 September 2017). "Страхотен Лудогорец и голяма европейска победа над Хофенхайм". gong.bg. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  11. "Ludogorets and Lukoki agreed to part ways". ludogorets.com/. PFC Ludogorets Razgrad. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  12. "Yeni Malatyaspor'da ilk transfer Jody Lukoki" (in Turkish). goal.com. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  13. "Jody Lukoki - profile". Soccerway.
  14. Knipping, Tom (10 November 2021). "Lukoki ontvangt na inmenging FIFA gouden handdruk uit Turkije". Voetbal International (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  15. "Twente haalt aanvaller Lukoki terug naar Nederland". NOS (in Dutch). 29 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  16. "Domper voor Lukoki: Twente-nieuweling loopt zware knieblessure op". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 6 July 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  17. Ten Voorde, Leon (17 February 2022). "FC Twente en Jody Lukoki gaan uit elkaar na huiselijk geweld". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  18. "FC Twente neemt maatregelen tegen Lukoki na veroordeling huiselijk geweld". NOS (in Dutch). 1 February 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  19. "Over Jody Lukoki". Bestevoetballers.nl. 2012. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  20. "Jody Lukoki player profile". ajaxinside.nl. 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  21. Interlandloopbaan bij DR Congo lonkt voor Lukoki en Tamata (Dutch). Voetbal International. 19 March 2015.
  22. "DR Congo international Lukoki dies aged 29". BBC Sport.
  23. Sijtsma, Het Parool/Thomas (9 May 2022). "Van beenamputatie tot coma en vroege dood: ruzie met familie wordt Jody Lukoki (29) fataal". Het Parool.
  24. "Ex-Ajax player Jody Lukoki dies after being beaten by his family". MARCA. 11 May 2022.
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