Axel Tuanzebe was born on 14 November 1997 in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and moved to England with his family in 2002. He joined the Manchester United academy at the age of eight and rose through its ranks, winning the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2015. He made his senior debut as a substitute in a 4–0 FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic in January 2017.
One of the defining spells of Tuanzebe's career came during his loan stints at Aston Villa, where he played the full 90 minutes of the 2019 EFL Championship play-off final as Villa beat Derby County to secure promotion to the Premier League. At club level he also picked up a UEFA Europa League winner's medal with Manchester United in 2016–17. A composed, ball-playing centre-back who can also operate at right-back, Tuanzebe drew widespread praise for his display against Kylian Mbappé and Neymar in a Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain in October 2020.
After loan spells at Napoli and Stoke City, he was released by United in 2023 and signed for Ipswich Town, where he contributed to the club's return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence. He subsequently joined Burnley on a free transfer in June 2025.
At international level, Tuanzebe represented England at under-19, under-20, and under-21 level before committing to the DR Congo senior team. He made his debut for DR Congo in a World Cup qualifier against Senegal in June 2024, and has since become a regular part of the squad.