Lomana LuaLua
An electrifying striker famous for his acrobatic goal celebrations, he brought flair and unpredictability to pitches from Newcastle to Greece.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Congolese footballer·Birthday: December 28·Generation X
Biography
Lomana LuaLua's game was pure adrenaline. The Congolese striker burst onto the scene in England with Colchester United before a big move to Newcastle United, where his explosive pace and penchant for the spectacular made him a cult hero. While never a consistent starter at the highest level, he possessed a rare ability to change a game in an instant, often capping his goals with a series of acrobatic backflips that became his trademark. He carved out a long and itinerant career, finding success in Greece with Olympiacos, and later representing the DR Congo national team with distinction. LuaLua played with a joyful, expressive style that reminded fans football was, at its heart, a form of entertainment.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lomana was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lomana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Lomana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Greek Super League title with Olympiacos in the 2008-09 season.
- Scored 7 goals in 31 appearances for the DR Congo national team, representing them at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Helped Portsmouth win promotion to the Premier League in the 2002-03 season during a loan spell.
- His performances for Colchester United earned him a then-club record transfer to Newcastle United in 2000.
Did You Know?
His trademark backflip celebration led to a clause in his Newcastle contract forbidding it due to injury risk, which he sometimes ignored.
He is the older cousin of former footballer Kazenga LuaLua.
After retiring, he launched a music career under the name 'LuaLua', releasing several singles.
“When I score, I dance for everyone back home in Kinshasa.”
