By Ben McFadyean.
Born in Haan, in the German state of North-Rhine-Westphalia, Elias Kachunga joined Cambridge United at the start of the 2023/24 season from Bolton Wanderers.
The centre-forward is well-known in the Bundesliga from his time with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Paderborn 07, Hertha Berlin, and Ingolstadt. Widely regarded in the early 2010s as a talent with great potential, Kachunga was capped at all levels for Germany from U15 to U21. He then opted to switch to playing for the country of his father, DR Congo. He made his debut for DR Congo against Kenya in 2017 under coach Florent Ibenge.
On June 4, 2015, Kachunga joined the then newly promoted 2. Bundesliga champions, FC Ingolstadt, becoming their record all-time signing for a fee of €1.7 million.
He won the 2. Bundesliga title and promotion to the first tier with Hertha BSC Berlin in 2013, promotion to the Bundesliga with Paderborn 07 in season 13/14, the Football League Trophy with Bolton Wanderers in 2013, and the Bundesliga-West U17 title, and was the lead scorer with 17 goals in 2008/09.
He has accumulated 426 matches at the professional level, scoring 114 goals since the start of his career with the Borussia Mönchengladbach U23s in the 2009/10 season.
In 2016 he transferred to Huddersfield Town, then under German coach David Wagner, winning promotion to the Premier League in 2017.
The 31-year-old, who is known affectionately as ‘Kache’ by fans, went on to play for Sheffield Wednesday, and Bolton Wanderers, before being signed by Cambridge United, known as the ‘U’s’ in August 2023.
Cambridge United kick off their 24/25 season in English third tier, League 1, on Saturday 10th August at Colchester United.
You joined Cambridge United last season. What are your impressions of your first season?
“Very good; the team has taken me on very well. I’ve played some great games so far and five goals and that’s how things start. I’m enjoying my time here.”
What are your impressions of football in England? What is different about Germany?
“English football is a bit more physical; sometimes it can be a challenge. I have learned a lot in the past few years and had some great experiences, especially with Huddersfield. I felt very much like I had arrived under David Wagner; we were promoted to the Premier League, and I scored 12 goals in my first season. Very special.”
And from here in England, how do you see the development of German football?
“Yes, currently things with the national team are not going so well. Sometimes there are phases like that. Other nations have had that too. It’s up to the Germans to believe in their own virtues as they did so well in the past. Germany will come back in the next few years, in my view, but it takes time.”
If you look at the results in the European competitions, English teams seem to be very far ahead of the Bundesliga clubs at the moment. As a German-born player, do you notice that in the way the players train here? Do you have the feeling that the English are very advanced?
“The training is different from the way I have trained in Germany; it is more intense in some ways. The training times are more frequent on the whole, but I’ve been in the UK for a few years now, so I don’t know how things have developed in Germany.”
What do you think the influence of international coaches like Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel, or Jürgen Klopp on the English game has been?
“Here in England there are a lot of international coaches, and of course, the English game has changed a lot and the results have followed. Foreign coaches have had a lot of success. Even in the third league, where I am now at Cambridge, the training standards Neil Harris implements are very professional. I have also seen that in the second tier, the game has become very professional in England.”
How is it for you as a German player when you have to play Christmas and there is no Christmas break? How do you experience that?
“At the beginning, it was a change. There are many games around Christmas. The family comes most of the time from Germany, so it’s ok; I have gotten used to it.”
What have been some of the highlights for you playing in England?
“There have been many; for example, playing in the cup against Manchester City at Huddersfield in 2017, we achieved a 0-0 draw at home and got to travel to the Etihad, which was, in spite of losing to Manchester, or against Derby, where I got the winner in the 93rd, which was special. I scored a brace in the win at Carrow Road, too. Also won the cup with Bolton. There have been a lot of good moments so far.”
In terms of the quality of the teams in Germany, you have played in the Bundesliga; do you agree that the lower half of the top tier would not be of the standard to play in the Premier League?
“Yes, I have played in the Bundesliga, but I think that the teams that are in the lower half of the table are like those in Germany. I think the teams that are smaller in Germany would have a chance. It’s not much different in England.”
What’s special about Cambridge United?
“It’s very much a family club; you have the feeling that everyone is very close. The fans are also very close to the players. The city here is also beautiful. Cambridge is, of course, a very well-known city, both because of the many students here and the university they have here. From what I have seen, I like it here.”
How does the Abbey Stadium compare to grounds you have played at in the Bundesliga, like Gladbach’s Borussia Park?
“As a club, Cambridge is smaller, but a club that stands together. You feel that on the pitch, which is also very close to the stands. It’s a very traditional stadium. As the fans are very close to the field, that makes it harder for the other teams to come here and win. Like Borussia Park, the atmosphere is intense and the fans get behind us, and that’s great.”
Which teams do you think have the best chance of getting promoted from League One?
“I think the league is pretty balanced. There are some big clubs, and I think they will try to go up this year, and we are one of the big teams; also, Birmingham City and Rotherham, as well as Bolton, should be favourites. I think there will be a hard fight in this league to get out of it. There will be a few surprises this season.”
You started off with Borussia Mönchengladbach, whom you had five years with, and you are known to be close to the club. Do you think Gerardo Seoane for ‘Die Fohlen-Elf’?
“Seoane has a great record of achievement; the club is in flux; I think they have lost some quality, but I am not close enough anymore. Either way, I wish him (Seoane) and the club the best.”
Elias, you have played for Germany up to the U21 level, and for DR Congo at the senior level, what is the difference?
“That’s a difficult question. I grew up in Germany, so I was always going to embrace the chance to play for Germany. I was excited however to get the chance to play for Congo and travel to Kenya, and in spite of the result on the day (2-1) it was a great experience, I would love to be selected again, especially for the African Cup of Nations or World Cup qualifiers.”
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