Jump to content

Promise David

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2003:100:3701:c600:7131:225c:4293:e5e1 (talk) at 19:20, 25 May 2025 (→Club career). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Promise David
David in 2024
Personal information
Full name Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu[1]
Date of birth (2001-07-03) 3 July 2001 (age 23)
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 FC U21 19 (22)
2023–2024 Nõmme Kalju 39 (21)
2024– Union SG 34 (19)
International career‡
2022 Nigeria U23 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:17, 25 May 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 04:32, 30 July 2024 (UTC)

Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu (born 3 July 2001), known as Promise David, is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club Union SG. Born in Canada, he was a youth international for Nigeria before committing to play for Canada on February 21, 2025.[2]

Club career

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 18 September 2021, he signed an academy contract with the American club Tulsa.[4]

Valletta and Sirens

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 20 June 2022, he transferred to Sirens, also in Malta.[6]

Nõmme Kalju

Promise David made his breakthrough in professional football with Estonian club Nõmme Kalju FC

On 13 February 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]

Union SG

In July 2024, David signed with Union SG of the Belgian First Division A, 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 20 July, where the club would be eventual 2–1 victors over Club Brugge.[13] David scored his first goal for his new club on 10 August 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, securing his club's first league title in 90 years.[15][16]

International career

David was born in Canada to Nigerian parents.[17] 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.[18] He debuted with the Nigeria U23s, a 1–1 tie in the first leg with Tanzania U23 on October 22, 2022.[19] In January 2025, after inquiries from the Nigerian Football Federation, David stated that he was focused on playing for his country of birth, Canada.[20]

On February 21, 2025, David's request to switch allegiance to Canada was approved by FIFA.[21]

Career statistics

As of match played 25 May 2025[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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[23] 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
  1. ^ Includes Maltese FA Trophy, Estonian Cup, Belgian Cup
  2. ^ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearance in Belgian Super Cup

Honours

Union Saint-Gilloise

References

  1. ^ a b "Promise puts Valletta in Izibet FA Trophy final - maltafootball.com". May 10, 2022.
  2. ^ Nightingale, Tom (2025-02-21). "Promise David officially files switch from Nigeria to Canada, will be called up by CanMNT". Canadian Soccer Daily. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  3. ^ Erons, Imhons (July 1, 2024). "Union SG aim for a repeat Victor Boniface operation with Promise Akinpelu David transfer - Soccernet NG".
  4. ^ Adeyanju, Oluwayemisi Afolabi (September 18, 2021). "The Promising Star: Promise Akinpelu". CKDmedia.
  5. ^ Adeyanju, Oluwayemisi Afolabi (April 1, 2022). "FC Valletta Proposes Two Years Extension Of Contract For Promise David". CKDmedia.
  6. ^ "Canadian forward David Promise moves to Sirens on a two-year deal". Times of Malta. June 20, 2022.
  7. ^ "Nõmme Kalju sõlmis kolmeaastase lepingu noore Kanada ründajaga". ERR. February 13, 2023.
  8. ^ Jackson, Ben (28 April 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.
  9. ^ Kloke, Joshua (22 February 2025). "Promise David makes his pledge to Canada, continuing his rapid ascent". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  10. ^ Kalvet, Madis (27 April 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).
  11. ^ "Canadese spits Promise David komt bij Union". RUSG.
  12. ^ Erons, Imhons (July 2, 2024). "Confirmed: Canada-born striker of Nigerian origin joins Union Saint-Gilloise - Soccernet NG".
  13. ^ "Promise David jäi debüütmängus kuivale, aga võitis Belgias esimese tiitli". ERR. July 21, 2024.
  14. ^ "KVC Westerlo 4–3 Union St.-Gilloise". ESPN. 10 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Promise David delivers Union St Gilloise their first title since 1935". Get Belgian & Dutch Football News. 25 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Canadian David scores twice as Union Saint-Gilloise secures Belgian Championship". TSN. 25 May 2025.
  17. ^ "In-Form Striker Promise David Relishes Flourishing Start at Sirens FC, Opens Up on National Team Choices – Abroad". July 24, 2022.
  18. ^ "18 players make Nigeria Dream Team ahead of Tanzania". EaglesTracker. October 20, 2022.
  19. ^ @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.
  20. ^ staff, Canadian Soccer Daily (2025-01-28). "Promise David has chosen to play for Canada over Nigeria: report". Canadian Soccer Daily. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  21. ^ Nightingale, Tom (February 21, 2025). "Promise David officially files switch from Nigeria to Canada, will be called up by CanMNT". Canadian Soccer Daily.
  22. ^ Promise David at Soccerway
  23. ^ "Promise David profile". Estonian Football Association (in Estonian).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Promise_David&oldid=1292207251"