Promise David
.jpg) David with Union SG in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu[1] | ||
| Date of birth | July 3, 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Brampton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Union SG | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2016 | Toronto FC | ||
| 2016–2019 | Vaughan Azzurri | ||
| 2019–2021 | Trnje | ||
| 2021–2022 | FC Tulsa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | Valletta | 9 | (2) |
| 2022–2023 | Sirens | 7 | (0) |
| 2023 | Nõmme Kalju U21 | 19 | (22) |
| 2023–2024 | Nõmme Kalju | 39 | (21) |
| 2024– | Union SG | 34 | (19) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Nigeria U23 | 2 | (0) |
| 2025– | Canada | 3 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:17, May 25, 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 25, 2025 | |||
Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu (born July 3, 2001), known as Promise David, is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club Union SG. A former youth international for Nigeria, he plays for the Canada national team.[2]
Early life
[edit]David began playing football with the youth academy of Toronto FC Academy, before moving to his local club Vaughan Azzurri in 2016.[3] In 2019, he was scouted by the Croatian club Trnje and joined their youth academy. On September 18, 2021, he signed an academy contract with the American club FC Tulsa.[4]
Club career
[edit]Malta
[edit]In January 2022, David joined the Maltese club Valletta on a short-term contract.[5] He scored the goal that got Valletta to the 2021–22 Maltese FA Trophy final, where they finished runners-up.[1] On June 20, 2022, he transferred to Sirens, also in Malta.[6]
Estonia
[edit]
On February 13, 2023, David moved to Estonia with Nõmme Kalju.[7] He initially played for the club's reserve team in the Estonian third tier before establishing himself in the first team and scoring seven goals in his inaugural Premium Liiga season.[8] David credited Kalju's training demands and plyometric exercises as crucial elements in his turnaround.[9][10] In the following 2024 league season with Kalju, he scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 16 matches.[11]
Belgium
[edit]In July 2024, David signed with Union SG of the Belgian Pro League, on a three-year contract with an option of a further year.[12] He debuted with them as a substitute during the 2024 Belgian Super Cup on July 20, where the club would be eventual 2–1 victors over Club Brugge.[13] David scored his first goal for his new club on August 10 in a 4–3 away defeat against Westerlo.[14] He concluded the 2024–25 season with 19 goals, including a brace in a 3–1 victory over Gent on the final matchday of the champions' play-offs, securing his club's first league title in 90 years.[15][16]
On 17 June 2025, David signed a new contract with Union Saint-Gilloise, extending his stay with the club until 2029.[17][18]
International career
[edit]Youth
[edit]David was born in Canada to Nigerian parents.[19] In October 2022, he was called up to the Nigeria U23s for a set of 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against the Tanzania U23s.[20] He debuted with the Nigeria U23s, a 1–1 tie in the first leg with Tanzania U23 on October 22, 2022.[21]
Senior
[edit]In January 2025, after inquiries from the Nigerian Football Federation, David stated that he was focused on playing for his country of birth, Canada, at senior level.[22]
On February 21, 2025, David's request to switch allegiance to Canada was approved by FIFA.[23] On March 12, 2025, he received his first senior call-up to the Canada national team for the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.[24] He made his international debut on June 7, 2025, in a friendly against Ukraine during the 2025 Canadian Shield, scoring his first goal for Canada.[25]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played May 25, 2025[26]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Valletta | 2021–22 | Maltese Premier League | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 14 | 4 | ||
| Sirens | 2022–23 | Maltese Premier League | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Nõmme Kalju U21 | 2023[27] | Esiliiga B | 19 | 22 | — | — | — | 19 | 22 | |||
| Nõmme Kalju | 2023 | Meistriliiga | 23 | 7 | 3 | 6 | — | — | 26 | 13 | ||
| 2024 | Meistriliiga | 16 | 14 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 18 | 17 | |||
| Total | 39 | 21 | 5 | 9 | — | — | 44 | 30 | ||||
| Union SG | 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 34 | 19 | 3 | 4 | 3[b] | 1 | 1[c] | 0 | 41 | 24 |
| Career total | 108 | 64 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 125 | 80 | ||
- ^ Includes Maltese FA Trophy, Estonian Cup, Belgian Cup
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
International
[edit]- As of match played June 24, 2025
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2025 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 3 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each David goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 7, 2025 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada |  Ukraine
|
3–0 | 4–2 | 2025 Canadian Shield |
| 2 | June 17, 2025 | BC Place, Vancouver, Canada |  Honduras
|
5–0 | 6–0 | 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
Honours
[edit]Valletta
- Maltese FA Trophy runner-up: 2021–22
Union Saint-Gilloise
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Promise puts Valletta in Izibet FA Trophy final - maltafootball.com". May 10, 2022.
- ^ Nightingale, Tom (February 21, 2025). "Promise David officially files switch from Nigeria to Canada, will be called up by CanMNT". Canadian Soccer Daily. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
- ^ Erons, Imhons (July 1, 2024). "Union SG aim for a repeat Victor Boniface operation with Promise Akinpelu David transfer - Soccernet NG".
- ^ Adeyanju, Oluwayemisi Afolabi (September 18, 2021). "The Promising Star: Promise Akinpelu". CKDmedia.
- ^ Adeyanju, Oluwayemisi Afolabi (April 1, 2022). "FC Valletta Proposes Two Years Extension Of Contract For Promise David". CKDmedia.
- ^ "Canadian forward David Promise moves to Sirens on a two-year deal". Times of Malta. June 20, 2022.
- ^ "Nõmme Kalju sõlmis kolmeaastase lepingu noore Kanada ründajaga". ERR. February 13, 2023.
- ^ Jackson, Ben (April 28, 2025). "From the Estonian top flight to the Belgian Pro League: Canada's Promise David's unlikely route to firing Union St Gilloise towards a first title since 1935". OneFootball.
- ^ Kloke, Joshua (February 22, 2025). "Promise David makes his pledge to Canada, continuing his rapid ascent". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
- ^ Kalvet, Madis (April 27, 2024). "Kohv paneb kasvu kinni ja uni teeb pikemaks ehk Kuidas sirgus kaks aastat armuaega saanud Promise David Eesti kaitsjate hirmuks" [Coffee stunts growth and sleep makes you taller – how Promise David, who was given two years, became the fear of Estonian defenders]. Delfi Sport (in Estonian).
- ^ "Canadese spits Promise David komt bij Union". RUSG.
- ^ Erons, Imhons (July 2, 2024). "Confirmed: Canada-born striker of Nigerian origin joins Union Saint-Gilloise - Soccernet NG".
- ^ "Promise David jäi debüütmängus kuivale, aga võitis Belgias esimese tiitli". ERR. July 21, 2024.
- ^ "KVC Westerlo 4–3 Union St.-Gilloise". ESPN. August 10, 2024.
- ^ "Promise David delivers Union St Gilloise their first title since 1935". Get Belgian & Dutch Football News. May 25, 2025.
- ^ "Canadian David scores twice as Union Saint-Gilloise secures Belgian Championship". TSN. May 25, 2025.
- ^ "L'Union Saint-Gilloise prolonge Promise David et réalise le 1er 'coup' de son mercato - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ Belgian, Get; read, Dutch Football News·1 min (June 17, 2025). "Union St Gilloise's Canadian star Promise David signs new deal in Brussels". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "In-Form Striker Promise David Relishes Flourishing Start at Sirens FC, Opens Up on National Team Choices – Abroad". July 24, 2022.
- ^ "18 players make Nigeria Dream Team ahead of Tanzania". EaglesTracker. October 20, 2022.
- ^ @thenff (October 22, 2022). "Olympic Eagles player David Promise and Coach Salisu Yusuf's reaction after 1-1 draw against Tanzania U23 in Dar es Salaam" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Promise David has chosen to play for Canada over Nigeria: report". Canadian Soccer Daily. January 28, 2025. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
- ^ Nightingale, Tom (February 21, 2025). "Promise David officially files switch from Nigeria to Canada, will be called up by CanMNT". Canadian Soccer Daily.
- ^ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (March 12, 2024). "Who is new CanMNT call-up Promise David? What you need to know about the other David tearing up Europe". OneSoccer.
- ^ Jones, Chris (June 7, 2024). "Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David lead the way as Canada downs Ukraine 4-2". CBC Sports.
- ^ Promise David at Soccerway
- ^ "Promise David profile". Estonian Football Association (in Estonian).
- ^ "Union St-Gilloise win first league title in 90 years". Brussels Times. May 25, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
External links
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