Gloire Amanda

Gloire Amanda
Personal information
Date of birth	November 11, 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth	Nyarugusu, Tanzania
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward, midfielder
Youth career
2009–2012	Edmonton Xtreme
2012–2013	Edmonton Internazionale
2013–2014	FC Edmonton
2014–2017	Vancouver Whitecaps FC
College career
Years	Team
2018–2020	Oregon State Beavers
Senior career*
Years	Team
2017	Whitecaps FC 2
2017	→ Vancouver Whitecaps FC (loan)
2018–2019	Lane United FC
2021–2023	Austria Klagenfurt
2023	Whitecaps FC 2
International career
2015	Canada U18
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 30, 2023

Gloire Amanda (born November 11, 1998) is a professional soccer player. Born in Tanzania, he represented Canada at youth international level.

Early life

Amanda was born in the Nyarugusu refugee camp to Congolese parents. His family moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, when he was 8 years old.^[1] He played youth soccer with Edmonton Internazionale, Edmonton Extreme FC, and at St. Nicholas Soccer Academy where he played with Canada national team player Alphonso Davies.^[2] He then joined the FC Edmonton Academy for a year.^[1] He trialled with the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy in 2013, before ultimately joining them in 2014.^[3]

College career

Ahead of the 2018 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Amanda signed a National Letter of Intent to play college soccer for the Oregon State Beavers men's soccer program. In 2020, in his junior season, he led the NCAA Division I in goals (15) and total points (37), setting the OSU single-season record for points and was named to the All-Pac-12 and All-Far West Region first team, the United Soccer Coaches’ All-America first team and Top Drawer Soccer Best XI first team,^[4] and an All-American.^[5] He also was named the 2020 MAC Hermann Trophy winner as the top player in the NCAA,^[6]^[7] becoming the first Oregon State player to win the award.^[8]

Club career

Amanda signed his first professional contract with Whitecaps FC 2 on March 31, 2017, having been with the Whitecaps academy since he was 15.^[1] In May 2017, Amanda was named to the Whitecaps roster for the 2017 Canadian Championship on a short term contract, which was allowed him to play in non-MLS matches.^[9] He would spend one season with Whitecaps FC 2 before the club ceased operations after the 2017 season.^[10] Rather than sign a USL deal with the Whitecaps new affiliate, Fresno FC, Amanda would elect to evaluate playing opportunities in college.^[11]

While playing for Oregon State, Amanda would sign with Lane United FC of the Premier Development League for the 2018 season.^[12]

In June 2021, Amanda joined newly-promoted Austrian Bundesliga side Austria Klagenfurt on a two-year deal.^[13] He scored his first goal on October 16, netting the equalizer against Rapid Wien in a 1-1 draw.^[14] In February 2023, he terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent.^[15]

International career

In 2015, he was called up to the Canadian under-18 team for the Slovakia Cup.^[16]

Personal life

His younger brother, Prince, is also a professional soccer player.^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played September 16, 2023^[18]

Club statistics
Club	Season	League			Playoffs		Domestic Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Whitecaps FC 2	2017	USL	27	3	—		—		—		27	3
Vancouver Whitecaps FC^[a]	2017	Major League Soccer	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lane United FC	2018^[19]	Premier Development League	6	2	—		—		—		6	2
	2019^[19]	USL League Two	2	0	—		—		—		2	0
	Total		8	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	2
Austria Klagenfurt	2021–22	Austrian Bundesliga	6	0	—		1	0	—		7	0
	2022–23	Austrian Bundesliga	0	0	—		0	0	—		0	0
	Total		6	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
Whitecaps FC 2	2023	MLS Next Pro	24	3	—		—		—		24	3
Career total			65	8	0	0	1	0	0	0	66	8