Zebaldt Ngaruka

Namibia’s youth international footballer Tjiunatjo Kakuenje said he is ready to make his debut at his new club Albacete Balompié in Spain’s second division.

Kakuenje (18) recently penned a two-year deal with the club from Namibia Premier League outfit Bucs Buccaneers.

New Era caught up with the player to check on how he is coping and progressing at his new club in Spain and his ambitions for the future.

The versatile player, who also played for Kaizen Football Academy, said he is slowly but surely adapting to the cold weather in that country, as he is used to the Namibian hot weather.

“I am well here; people here are welcoming and I feel at home. I am training regularly, all is going according to plans, I am ready to start,” said Kakuenje.

The 18-year-old said he is learning the Spanish language and is progressing well.

“Of course,  the language is a bit of a barrier, but I am getting there. The other issue is the cold weather, it is extremely cold here, but I am coping and looking forward to the debut of my team,” he said, adding that the delay in his debut match is caused by unfinished paperwork.

On his season targets, Kakuenje’s prime aim is to help his team gain promotion to the top league and win major trophies for the club.

The defender’s long-term goal is to play for the big league in Europe and become one of the key players for the Brave Warriors.

Kakuenje started playing in the streets of Katutura and at schools before he joined the academy.

“I also played for my village team, Okatuuo FC, from Omaheke region’s Epukiro constituency. We even won the Omaheke Top 20 tournament in 2024 and I was voted as the defender of the tournament,” he said.

The defender also played for Epukiro All-Stars, where he never lost a match or a tournament with the Omaheke region-based team.

At the national level, the player got two caps for the U/17 football team, while he also obtained two caps for the U/20 team. 

-zngaruka@yahoo.com