Background and career
Gaël Roméo Kakuta Mambenga (born 21 June 1991) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger. Born in France, he represented the DR Congo national team.
A youth product of RC Lens, Kakuta moved to Chelsea in 2007 in a controversial transfer. Rarely used at Chelsea, he was loaned to six teams in five countries before leaving for Sevilla upon the expiration of his contract in 2015, He retired on 4 July 2026, at age 35, following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He was a French youth international and represented the nation at every age group from under-16 to under-21 levels, before switching allegiance to the DR Congo national team in 2017.
