Michaela Abam

Last updated

Michaela Abam
Michaela Abam.png
Abam with Real Betis in 2019
Personal information
Full name Michaela-Batya Bisi Abam [1]
Date of birth (1997-06-12) 12 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Houston, Texas, United States
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Deportivo Toluca
Number 22
Youth career
Texas Rush
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2017 West Virginia Mountaineers 95 (42)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018 Sky Blue FC 4 (0)
2018–2019 Paris FC 10 (1)
2019–2020 Real Betis 20 (3)
2021–2022 Houston Dash 19 (1)
2023 Linköping FC 15 (2)
2024– Deportivo Toluca 21 (5)
International career
2013 United States U17
2018– Cameroon 6 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:30, 17 July 2022 (UTC)

Michaela-Batya Bisi Abam (born 12 June 1997) is an American-born Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX Femenil side Deportivo Toluca and the Cameroon national team. [2] She previously played for Houston Dash and Sky Blue FC in the American National Women's Soccer League, Real Betis in the Spanish Primera División, Paris FC in the Division 1 Féminine, and West Virginia University. [3] [4]

Contents

Early life

Abam was born in Houston, Texas. She attended Harmony Science Academy High School and played youth soccer with Texas Rush, which later became part of Houston Dynamo/Dash Youth Academy. [5]

College career

Abam played in a school-record 95 games for the Mountaineers, scoring 42 goals and 16 assists. In 2016, she scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over the University of North Carolina in the College Cup semi-final, leading WVU to their first-ever College Cup final. [6] [7]

Club career

Sky Blue FC, 2018

Abam was selected by Sky Blue FC as the 4th overall pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft. [8] In March she was named to the final roster for the 2018 season. [9] After appearing in four games for Sky Blue, she was waived by the team on July 25. [10]

Paris FC, 2018–2019

On 1 August 2018, Abam signed a one-year contract to play for Paris FC in France's Division 1 Féminine. [11] She appeared in 10 league matches and scored one goal. [12]

Real Betis, 2019–2020

On 7 August 2019, Abam signed a one-year contract to play for Spanish Primera División team Real Betis. [12] She appeared in 15 league matches, scoring three goals, before competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 September 2020, she scored a hat-trick against Hispalis in the pre-season Andalusian Women's Cup quarterfinals. [13] She appeared in five more league matches for Real Betis before leaving the club. [5]

Houston Dash, 2021–2022

In August 2021, Abam signed for the Houston Dash in the NWSL, becoming the first player signed by the Dash who attended a Dash-affiliated youth club. [14] Her first appearance was on 13 August 2021 against the Washington Spirit, where she scored the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw. [5] [15]

On 20 March 2023, the Dash announced that the club had waived Abam. [16]

Linköping FC, 2023–

On 4 April 2023, Damallsvenskan club Linköping FC announced that it had signed Abam. [4]

International career

Abam made her senior debut for Cameroon on 12 November 2018 in a 7–0 friendly win against Zambia, scoring twice. [17] Then, she was called up to compete at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations, but did not make any appearance by problems with her Cameroonian passport. [18] In May 2019, she was named for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1
12 November 2018 Stade Municipal (Bingerville), Abidjan, Ivory Coast Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
5–0
7–0 Friendly
2
7–0

Honours

West Virginia Mountaineers

Individual

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References

  1. "WVU Commencement Program" (PDF). West Virginia University Graduation. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  2. "Michaela Abam rejoint le Paris FC". 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. "MICHAELA ABAM". Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Transfer: Michaela Abam leaves Houston Dash as she returns to Europe". Kick 442. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Roepken, Corey (13 August 2021). "Houston Dash's Michaela Abam has happy homecoming". Texas Sports Nation. Houston Chronicle . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  6. "Michaela Abam goal advances WVU to College Cup final". 2 December 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  7. West Virginia women's soccer headed to the Final. ESPN . 3 December 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  8. "NWSL draft results: All the picks from all 4 rounds". 18 January 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  9. "Sky Blue FC announces official 2018 season roster". 19 March 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  10. "Wednesday Roundup: Sky Blue FC waive Thaisa and Michaela Abam". 25 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  11. "Michaela Abam rejoint le Paris FC". 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  12. 1 2 Ahmadu, Samuel (7 August 2019). "Michaela Abam: Real Betis sign Paris striker". Goal . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  13. Ahmadu, Samual (24 September 2020). "Michaela Abam's hat-trick leads Real Betis to Andalusian Cup semi-final". Goal . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  14. houstondynamofc. "Michaela Abam becomes first player from Dynamo | Dash Youth Club to sign with Houston Dash". Houston Dynamo FC . Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  15. "National Women's Soccer League Official Site". National Women's Soccer League . Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  16. "Houston Dash announce updated 2023 roster" (Press release). Houston Dynamo FC. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  17. "Cameroon hammer Zambia 7–0 in final pre-AWCON friendly". Footy-GHANA.com. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  18. "Fécafoot : Michaela Abam, une négligence coupable" (in French). Camfoot.com. 23 April 2019.