Promise David

Last updated

Promise David
Go Ahead Eagles - Royale Union Saint-Gillloise - 53852967055 (Promise David).jpg
David with Union SG in 2024
Personal information
Full name Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu [1]
Date of birth (2001-07-03) July 3, 2001 (age 24)
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
2019–2020 Trnje
2021–2022 FC Tulsa
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2019–2020 Trnje 5 (1)
2022 Valletta 9 (2)
2022–2023 Sirens 7 (0)
2023 Nõmme Kalju U21 19 (22)
2023–2024 Nõmme Kalju 39 (21)
2024– Union SG 39 (21)
International career‡
2022 Nigeria U23 2 (0)
2025– Canada 5 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:28, September 13, 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of September 5, 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 and the Canada national team. [2]

Contents

Early life

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

Malta

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]

Nõmme Kalju

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

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]

Union SG

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

Youth

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

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, also scoring his first goal for Canada in a 4–2 friendly victory against Ukraine during the 2025 Canadian Shield. [25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played September 16, 2025 [26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Valletta 2021–22 Maltese Premier League 9254——146
Sirens 2022–23 Maltese Premier League70———70
Nõmme Kalju U21 2023 [27] Esiliiga B 1922———1922
Nõmme Kalju 2023 Meistriliiga 23736——2613
2024 Meistriliiga161423——1817
Total392159——4430
Union SG 2024–25 Belgian Pro League 3419343 [b] 11 [c] 04124
2025–26 Belgian Pro League52001 [d] 11 [c] 073
Total39213442204827
Career total113691317422013285
  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. 1 2 Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
  4. ↑ Appearance in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played September 5, 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Canada 202552
Total52
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each David goal.
List of international goals scored by Promise David
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1June 7, 2025 BMO Field, Toronto, CanadaFlag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 3–04–2 2025 Canadian Shield
2June 17, 2025 BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaFlag of Honduras (2022-).svg  Honduras 5–06–0 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honours

Valletta

Union Saint-Gilloise

References

  1. 1 2 "Promise puts Valletta in Izibet FA Trophy final - maltafootball.com". May 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ 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.
  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 (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.
  9. ↑ Kloke, Joshua (February 22, 2025). "Promise David makes his pledge to Canada, continuing his rapid ascent". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331.
  10. ↑ 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).
  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. August 10, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Promise David delivers Union St Gilloise their first title since 1935". Get Belgian & Dutch Football News. May 25, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Canadian David scores twice as Union Saint-Gilloise secures Belgian Championship". TSN. May 25, 2025.
  17. ↑ "L'Union Saint-Gilloise prolonge Promise David et réalise le 1er 'coup' de son mercato - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  18. ↑ 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)
  19. ↑ "In-Form Striker Promise David Relishes Flourishing Start at Sirens FC, Opens Up on National Team Choices – Abroad". July 24, 2022.
  20. ↑ "18 players make Nigeria Dream Team ahead of Tanzania". EaglesTracker. October 20, 2022.
  21. ↑ @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.
  22. ↑ "Promise David has chosen to play for Canada over Nigeria: report". Canadian Soccer Daily. January 28, 2025. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  23. ↑ Nightingale, Tom (February 21, 2025). "Promise David officially files switch from Nigeria to Canada, will be called up by CanMNT". Canadian Soccer Daily.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. ↑ Jones, Chris (June 7, 2024). "Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David lead the way as Canada downs Ukraine 4–2". CBC Sports.
  26. ↑ Promise David at Soccerway
  27. ↑ "Promise David profile". Estonian Football Association (in Estonian).
  28. ↑ "Union St-Gilloise win first league title in 90 years". Brussels Times. May 25, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
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