Former Democratic Republic of Congo international Patrick Ilongo Ngasanya has announced his decision to settle in Zambia with his family at the invitation of former teammate and TP Mazembe legend Rainford Kalaba.
The 38-year old who played Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League, hanged up his boots in 2021 after a short stint with Zambian champions Power Dynamos.
Reports of the Ilongo’s death went viral last month before the retired midfield general came out to refute the fake news claiming he had been healthy and safe.
Ilongo has since revealed he will be settling in Zambia with his family thanks to Kalaba, whom he shared the dressing at Mazembe between 2011 and 2017.
“I have decided to move to Zambia after my career. Everyone chooses where they can stay. I preferred Zambia at the invitation of my brother Kalaba who had proposed to me” Ilongo said in an interview.
Ilongo previously played in Zambia for Super League clubs Forest Rangers and Power Dynamos between 2017 and 2021.
Meanwhile, Ilongo also revealed that he is currently part of a program for exhibition matches involving retired Congolese players arranged by Tresor Lualua.
“But at the moment am in kin for a project of the legends which brings together the former Leopards on the initiative of Tresor Lualua” he said.
Regarded as one of DR Congo’s finest midfielders of this generation, Ilongo featured for a host of European clubs including Wigan Athletic in England, Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia and FK Mlada Bolesláv in the Czech Republic.
