Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has officially parted ways with Al Duhail SC, concluding a record-breaking four-year spell at the Qatari giants in which he became the club’s all-time top scorer with 135 goals across all competitions.
In a statement released on Thursday, Al Duhail praised Olunga for his “distinguished contributions and exceptional performance,” calling him a model of professionalism and discipline both on and off the pitch.
“The management of Al Duhail Sports Club extends its heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Kenyan striker Michael Olunga, the club’s historic top scorer, for his distinguished contributions and exceptional performance during his tenure with the first team,” the club said.
“The Al Duhail family wishes Michael Olunga all the success in his next chapter and affirms that the club’s doors will always remain open to the historic top scorer of the Red Knights. Thank you, Olunga. You will always remain an inseparable part of the Al Duhail family.”
Olunga, 31, joined Al Duhail on January 12, 2021, from Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol. He made an instant impact and went on to lead the team to multiple trophies, including the Qatar Stars League (2022–2023), the Qatar Cup (2021–2022), the Qatar League Cup (2023), and two Qatar Stars Cups (2022–2023, 2024–2025).
He also made history by finishing as top scorer in the Qatar Stars League for two consecutive seasons (2021–2022 and 2022–2023), and in the 2022–2023 Qatar Stars Cup with 10 goals. In continental football, Olunga netted nine goals in the 2020–2021 AFC Champions League, finishing as top scorer of the competition.
In the recently concluded 2024–2025 season, Olunga scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 19 league matches, helping Al Duhail secure a second-place finish behind Al Sadd.
His parting message on social media was brief but poignant:
“VENI VIDI VICI. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING @DuhailSC. LEAVING AS ALL-TIME GOAL SCORER 130 GOALS AND MEMORIES. THANK YOU FOR THE TRUST.”
The towering striker previously played for Djurgårdens IF (Sweden), Zhicheng (China), Girona (Spain), and Kashiwa Reysol (Japan), and is now expected to attract interest from clubs in South Africa and the English Premier League.
Olunga’s departure follows closely after French coach Christophe Galtier stepped down as Al Duhail’s manager, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the club.
As Kenya’s most accomplished football export in recent years, Olunga’s next move is eagerly anticipated by fans both locally and internationally.
