Michael Olunga: 7 Interesting Facts About Harambee Stars’ Birthday Boy

Harambee Stars and Al Duhail striker Michael Olunga is celebrating his birthday today, March 26, 2025.

The towering forward, who has become a household name both locally and internationally, is just days from duty with the national team.

Olunga has engraved him in the history books of multiple leagues across the globe.

In celebration of his special day, Pulse Sports looks at seven interesting facts about the Harambee Stars’ birthday boy.

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One of Michael Olunga's standout moments came during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Egypt.

Engineer, as many of his fans refer him, led the line for Kenya and delivered a great performance in a group stage match against Tanzania where he netted a brace in their 3-2 win.

Although Kenya did not progress beyond the group stage, Olunga’s performance in that game remains a high point in the nation's recent football history.

Since joining Al Duhail SC, Michael Olunga has become a key player in the Qatar Stars League.

He helped the Red clinch several domestic titles title courtesy of goal-scoring instincts and leadership qualities.

In the previous AFC Champions League campaign, he emerged as the competition’s top scorer despite his team being knocked out in the group stages.

Olunga’s consistent form in Qatar continues to boost his reputation as one of the most lethal African strikers currently in the Middle East.

Before making a switch to Qatar where he plays for Al Duhail, Michael Olunga was on top of the game in Japan while playing for Kashiwa Reysol.

Olunga helped the team win the J2 League and gain promotion to the top-flight J1 League.

In the 2020 season, Olunga netted 28 goals in the J1 League and scooped both the Golden Boot and the Most Valuable Player award.

He entered history by becoming the first African to receive the prestigious MVP title in the J1 League.

His success in Japan not only raised his profile but also opened doors for other African players in Asian football leagues.

Seven years ago, Michael Olunga had a brief stint in La Liga with Girona FC. It is there where the former Gor Mahia marksman made history by scoring a sensational hat-trick against Las Palmas.

He netted all three goals within just 22 minutes, becoming the first Kenyan and the first Girona player to score a hat trick in Spain’s top division.

That performance remains one of the most iconic moments by an African player in the league and added a European feather to his cap.

Before becoming a star in Europe, Olunga had his European breakthrough in Sweden with Djurgarden IF.

Signed from the record- FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia, the goal poacher quickly adapted to life in the Swedish top-division Allsvenskan.

Olunga scored 12 goals in his last 12 games of the season thus finishing among the top five scorers in the league.

One of his standout games was a 3-1 win over IFK Goteborg where he scored twice and was named Man of the Match.

His explosive form earned him a nomination for Newcomer of the Year, signaling his arrival on the European stage.

Michael Olunga is currently closing in on becoming Kenya’s all-time top scorer.

Currently, with 32 goals, Olunga is just three shy of equaling William Ouma’s 35 and two behind Dennis Oliech’s 34.

Given his current form, it seems only a matter of time before Olunga becomes the highest goal scorer in Kenya’s history. His recent goals against The Gambia and Gabon have only solidified his place among the greats.

Michael Olunga has managed to keep his personal life away from the public eye. However, in 2019, he gave fans a rare peek into his romantic life when he introduced his girlfriend Grace Edith Akinyi on Instagram.

The heartfelt post, captioned “My favourite,” went viral and endeared him even more to his fan base. The two are believed to have met during his time at Gor Mahia and while Olunga was studying at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK).

Despite the fame and spotlight Olunga remains grounded and continues to guard his personal life with admirable privacy.