Height: 5’11″
Weight: 150
Hometown: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nationality: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Birthdate: 04/06/00
Last Club: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
LAST SEASON
In 2026, Makangila returns to Hartford as the only player to don the Green & Blue for a fourth consecutive season. The 25-year-old logged 26 appearances, 16 starts and 1,543 minutes played over the course of the 2025 campaign. Whether he was stopping the opponent from attacking Athletic’s goal or facilitating transition between the back and front lines, Makangila played his role as a defensive midfielder perfectly. With an 84.2% pass completion rate, Makangiila was the second most accurate member of the squad (sitting just behind fellow holding midfielder Marlon Hairston). On the defensive side of the ball, the Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo native added 28 clearances, 11 blocks, and 13 interceptions, while winning 20 of 26 tackles, 60 of 123 duels and 19 of 35 aerial duels. Offensively, Makangila provided four key passes, two assists and one goal to help power his team’s forward momentum.
Over Hartford’s Jägermeister Cup Championship run, Makangila won three tackles, made seven clearances and added five interceptions. On the other side of the ball, he successfully completed 63 passes, or 86.3% of those he attempted, greatly aiding in the shift from offense to defense.
USL EXPERIENCE
All four of Makangila’s professional seasons have been spent in the USL Championship. He began his career in 2020, where the then 19-year-old appeared in six matches and started in two for the San Diego Loyal. He saw a vast increase in playing time from 2021-2022 with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, where he made 52 appearances and started in 37 of them. Throughout those two seasons, he totaled 75 tackles, 37 interceptions, 434 defenses and an assist. Following 2022, he signed a contract with Hartford Athletic. In 2023, Makangila made 16 appearances with nine starts, totaling 874 minutes. He scored one goal on the season, helping Hartford beat New Mexico United in early August with a score of 2-1.
Over the following 2024 season, the midfielder led his position group in minutes played (2,078), across 23 starts and 29 total appearances. His singular goal was a timely one, carrying Hartford to a 4-3 win in their final home match on October 12th against North Carolina.
OUTSIDE THE USL
Prior to 2020, Makangila played for FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo in Linafoot, which is the top soccer division in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
HONORS & AWARDS
- USL Jägermeister Cup Champion (2025)
- USL Western Conference Runner Up (2022)
