Lagos Kunga Bio
Lagos Kunga (born October 20, 1998) is a professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Union Omaha in USL League One. Born in Luanda, Angola, Kunga represented the United States at youth international level and has played across Major League Soccer, the USL system, Norway and lower-division U.S. clubs during a career that began in 2017.
Early Life and Background
Lagos Kunga was born in Luanda, Angola. His family moved first to Russia, where they lived until he was seven years old, and later settled in Clarkston, Georgia in the United States. Kunga developed in the Atlanta area youth system and attended The Paideia School while playing youth soccer.
At the youth level Kunga spent formative years with DDYSC Wolves in Atlanta before joining the Atlanta United academy in 2016. He initially indicated a commitment to play college soccer at Furman University but moved into the professional pathway through Atlanta United’s development system.
Path to Soccer
Kunga progressed through the Atlanta youth pathway into professional environments beginning with affiliation moves between Atlanta United and its USL affiliate teams. His development included match experience with Atlanta United 2 and loan spells designed to give regular senior minutes in the United Soccer League. He earned recognition at youth international level, appearing for the United States U20 setup in 2017.
The combination of academy training, early USL minutes and youth international experience positioned Kunga to sign as a homegrown professional with Atlanta United at the outset of his senior career. That pathway accelerated his transition from academy prospect to a player receiving first-team and loan opportunities within the U.S. professional structure.
Lagos Kunga Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Kunga’s senior career began in 2017 when Atlanta United announced he would join the club as a Homegrown Player at the start of the 2018 season. In June 2017 he signed a short-term arrangement with United Soccer League side Charleston Battery, the USL affiliate of Atlanta United, and was immediately involved on loan with Atlanta in a U.S. Open Cup appearance.
He made his first official appearance for Atlanta United 2 on March 24, 2018. Across the 2018 USL season with Atlanta United 2 Kunga established himself as an attacking option on the wing, finishing the campaign on the last day of the regular season with a two-goal performance against the Richmond Kickers and a season total of five goals in 31 appearances.
Atlanta United Breakthrough (2018–2020)
After his integration into Atlanta United’s professional ranks, Kunga spent time between the first team and Atlanta United 2 while also being deployed on loan to gain consistent minutes. In 2019 he went on loan to Memphis 901 in the USL Championship, where he made 20 appearances and scored one goal. On January 21, 2020, he was loaned to Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship for further first-team experience.
Kunga remained under contract with Atlanta United through the 2020 season and was released by the club on November 24, 2020. His time in the Atlanta system provided regular professional exposure and multiple loan assignments intended to develop his match readiness and tactical adaptability in senior competitions.
Kristiansund and Overseas Move (2021)
In August 2021 Kunga signed with Kristiansund BK of the Norwegian Eliteserien. The move marked his first contract outside the United States and expanded his professional experience into European competition. The signing with Kristiansund represented a step into top-flight football overseas following several seasons of loans and USL appearances.
Later U.S. and Overseas Moves (2022–Present)
Following his stint in Norway, Kunga returned to play in a variety of environments. He played with Kalonji Pro-Profile in the United Premier Soccer League, returning there in 2022 and scoring in Kalonji’s United Premier Soccer League National Third Place match against the Los Angeles FC Academy. In September 2022 he signed for Al Khums SC in the Libyan Premier League.
In May 2023 Kunga signed with USL League Two side Des Moines Menace, contributing six goals as the club reached the League Two Central Conference Final. On August 31, 2023, he joined Union Omaha of USL League One. Across two seasons with Union Omaha he made 27 appearances and scored five goals; he remained under contract but missed the 2025 USL League One season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Driving Style and Strengths
Listed as a winger, Lagos Kunga operates primarily on the flanks where his role has been to provide width and support the attacking phase. His career deployments with academy, USL and senior squads have focused on offensive contributions from wide positions and adaptability across different team structures.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Kunga’s career include signing a Homegrown roster spot with Atlanta United, representing the United States at U20 level, scoring a brace to close the 2018 USL regular season for Atlanta United 2, signing for Kristiansund BK in Norway in August 2021, and joining Union Omaha in August 2023. His six goals for Des Moines Menace in 2023 and participation in Kalonji Pro-Profile’s national third-place match are among notable performances outside the top divisions.
Lagos Kunga Career Wins
Kunga’s verified senior contributions include goal-scoring performances at multiple stops: five goals in 31 appearances for Atlanta United 2 in 2018, one goal across 20 appearances on loan with Memphis 901, six goals for Des Moines Menace in USL League Two in 2023, and five goals in 27 appearances for Union Omaha across two seasons. These figures reflect verified goal totals and appearance counts documented in his professional record.
USL and Club Highlights
In the USL system Kunga’s earliest notable run came with Atlanta United 2 in 2018 when he finished the season with five goals. His 2019 loan to Memphis 901 yielded 20 appearances and one goal as he continued to seek regular minutes at the Championship level. The 2020 loan to Phoenix Rising FC extended his USL Championship experience prior to returning to domestic and international club moves.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Outside the USL, Kunga made measurable contributions at lower-division and overseas clubs. For Kalonji Pro-Profile he scored in a United Premier Soccer League national third-place match, and for Des Moines Menace he scored six goals as the side advanced to the League Two Central Conference Final in 2023. His signing with Al Khums SC in September 2022 and his Eliteserien contract with Kristiansund BK in August 2021 add to a varied club résumé.
Lagos Kunga Family
Family Background and Early Moves
Kunga was born in Luanda, Angola, and spent early childhood years in Russia before his family moved to Clarkston, Georgia. Public records note Clarkston as his U.S. residence and the Atlanta area as the location where he developed through local youth clubs.
Personal Life
Kunga’s publicly available personal details focus on his movement between countries during childhood and his residence in Clarkston, Georgia. There are no verified public records in the provided inputs for spouse or children.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was impacted by injury for Lagos Kunga: he missed the 2025 USL League One season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury while remaining under contract with Union Omaha. The absence halted his on-field contributions for that year and shaped team planning around squad availability and recovery timelines.
Looking ahead from the 2025 season status, Kunga’s career record shows experience across academy, USL, international and overseas leagues that could inform recovery and return-to-play planning. His prior track record of adapting to different competitive environments provides context for his rehabilitation and potential reintegration when medically cleared to resume competition.