Alou Kuol

Alou Kuol (born 5 July 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for VfB Stuttgart. Born in Sudan and raised in Australia by South-Sudanese parents, he represents Australia at youth level.

Alou Kuol
Kuol with VfB Stuttgart in 2021
Personal information
Full name Alou Kuol
Date of birth (2001-07-05) 5 July 2001
Place of birth Khartoum, Sudan
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 VfB Stuttgart
Number 27
Youth career
Shepparton Soccer Club
2014–2017 Goulburn Valley Suns
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Goulburn Valley Suns 47 (28)
2019–2020 CCM Academy 9 (6)
2020–2021 Central Coast Mariners 30 (7)
2021– VfB Stuttgart II 30 (7)
2022 → SV Sandhausen (loan) 1 (0)
2022– VfB Stuttgart 1 (0)
International career‡
2022– Australia U23 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 January 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 July 2022

Early life

Alou Kuol was born in Khartoum to South Sudanese parents, and has five younger brothers and an older brother named Kuol, who he credits for forcing him to relocate for soccer when he first joined the Mariners Academy.[2] Kuol's family fled Sudan when he was three, staying in Egypt for a year before arriving in Sydney.[3] In 2015, Kuol moved to Shepparton, where he later worked as a kitchen hand while playing youth football.[4]

Club career

Kuol began his senior career with Victorian side Goulburn Valley Suns, after coming through the side's youth teams.[5] Kuol trialled with A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Western United but was unsuccessful in signing a contract with either club, he went on to sign with Central Coast Mariners a week later and scoring two goals against Western United coming off the bench at the 80th minute to win the game the following season.[2]

Central Coast Mariners

Kuol signed with Central Coast Mariners youth team to play in the Y-League.[6] At the conclusion of the 2019–20 Y-League season, Kuol trialled with Portuguese club Sporting CP in their under-19 squad.[2] On 1 March 2020, Kuol made his professional debut in an A-League clash against Western United, replacing Josh Nisbet in the 73rd minute as the Mariners lost 6–2.[7] Days later, Kuol was awarded a scholarship with the Mariners extending to the end of the 2020–21 season.[8] He made his starting debut for the Mariners in a draw against Newcastle Jets in July 2020,[9] and received media attention for his colourful post-match interview.[3]

VfB Stuttgart

On 16 April 2021, following interest from several top European teams , Kuol signed a 4-year contract with VfB Stuttgart, signing until June 2025. He scored 7 goals in his first 13 appearances for the reserves team. On 28 January, 2023, Kuol made his debut for the senior team in a 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig [10]

Loan to Sandhausen

On 31 January 2022, Kuol was loaned to SV Sandhausen until the end of the season.[11]

International career

Kuol was selected in the Australian under-23 team for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.[12] In Australia's second game of the tournament against Iraq, Kuol scored the opening goal with a spectacular scorpion kick. The game finished in a 1-all draw.[13]

Personal life

Kuol's younger brother, Garang, plays for Heart of Midlothian F.C. in Edinburgh on loan from Newcastle United.[14] Another younger brother, Teng Kuol, currently plays for Western Sydney Wanderers FC Youth,[15] after previously playing for the Central Coast Mariners Academy and Melbourne Victory FC Youth.[16][17][18][19]

Career statistics
As of 3 September 2021[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goulburn Valley Suns 2017 NPL Victoria 2 5000——50
2018 NPL Victoria 2 15620——176
2019 NPL Victoria 2 262210——2722
Total 46283000004628
Central Coast Mariners 2019–20 A-League 4000——40
2020–21 A-League 267———267
Total 307000000307
Central Coast Mariners Academy 2020[21] NPL NSW 2 96———96
VfB Stuttgart II 2021–22 Regionalliga 187———187
Sandhausen (loan) 2021–22 2. Bundesliga 1000——10
Career total 104483000!0010748

    Honours

    Individual

    See also

    References
    1. "Alou Kuol". Bundesliga. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
    2. Rugari, Vince (30 January 2021). "'I'm not boring': Why Mariners cult hero Alou Kuol is just warming up". The Sydney Morning Herald.
    3. Greco, John (24 July 2020). "Kuol leaves lasting impression after F3 derby stalemate". A-League. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
    4. "Youth Academy: Alou Kuol". Benalla Ensign. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
    5. Ormond, Aidan (11 July 2019). "Shepparton teen 'ready for A-League', tips ex-Wimbledon striker". FTBL.com.au. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
    6. Mitchell, Alex (15 November 2019). "Shepparton's Alou Kuol signs for Central Coast Mariners". Riverine Herald. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
    7. Nash, Liam (2 March 2020). "Shepparton's Alou Kuol makes A-League debut". Shepparton News. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
    8. Nash, Liam (5 March 2020). "Shepparton's Alou Kuol signs contract with A-League club". McIvor Times. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
    9. Nash, Liam (27 July 2020). "Alou Kuol's starting debut one to remember". Shepparton News. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
    10. "VfB sign Alou Kuol". VfB Stuttgart. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
    11. "Alou Kuol comes from VfB Stuttgart" (Press release) (in German). SV Sandhausen. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
    12. "11 NSW young guns set for U23's Asian Cup quest". Football NSW. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
    13. Ward, Roy (5 June 2022). "'Don't ask me how I've done it': Young Socceroo Alou Kuol scores scorpion goal". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
    14. "Mariners crush APIA to reach FFA Cup semis". northernbeachesreview.com.au. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
    15. "Teng Kuol scores for Wanderers as NPL gets started". Yahoo! Sport. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
    16. Gibson, Bransen. "Teng Kuol on the score sheet in Western Sydney Wanderers' NPL NSW opener". Shepparton News. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
    17. "Teng to Central Coast Mariners has Kuol-y Grail runneth over". Shepparton News. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
    18. "Teng Kuol pens Melbourne Victory move". Shepparton News. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
    19. "TENG KUOL SIGNS FOR MELBOURNE VICTORY". Facebook. Goulburn Valley Suns. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
    20. Alou Kuol at Soccerway
    21. "Player statistics for Alou Kuol". National Premier Leagues. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
    22. "2019 Annual Report" (PDF). Football Victoria. p. 69. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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