Olunga named the most valuable player in Japanese J-League

Olunga named J1-League MVP after winning Golden Boot [photo courtesy]

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga was on Tuesday named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) 2020 of the Japanese J1-League which wrapped up on Saturday after a pulsating run of 34 league games.

Olunga, 26, became the league’s first African MVP and the eighth player to claim that award as well as the Golden Boot in the same season.

The former Gor Mahia player netted 28 goals in 34 matches for his side Kashiwa Reysol to emerge J1 League top scorer.

After being crowned on Tuesday, Olunga took to social media and tweeted a photo with a caption that read: ‘Just a boy from Lucky Summer receiving the 2020 J league golden boot award God Above All’

Just a boy from Lucky Summer receiving the 2020 J league golden boot award
God Above All????????@REYSOL_Official @J_League @DAZN_JPN @J_League_En pic.twitter.com/1PNmyiPMXc

— MICHAEL OLUNGA (@OgadaOlunga) December 22, 2020

He also thanked his family and friends who helped him build his career.

"Glad to be named theMost  Valuable Player (MVP) 2020 in the Meiji Yasuda  Jleague," he wrote on his Facebook.

"Firstly, I want to thank God for this opportunity and blessings throughout this season. Also,the collective effort from myself,my team mates, the entire Kashiwa reysol fraternity and fans helped make this dream realizable for me and for this am grateful.  

"I hope this is the begining of more achievements in my career. Thank you all once  again and happy holidays."

Kashiwa Reysol finished 7th in the Japanese J-League standings.

In 2019, Olunga finished the season with 27 league goals as Reysol finished the J2 season as champions, winning promotion to the first division.

Olunga, who has been at the Japanese club since 2018 after leaving Girona in Spain where he scored three goals in 14 La Liga appearances, previously played in China, Sweden and in KPL with Tusker, Thika United and Gor Mahia.