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Vanessa Gilles

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Vanessa Gilles
Gilles with Angel City in 2022
Personal information
Full name Vanessa Brigitte Gilles[1]
Date of birth (1996-03-11) March 11, 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Châteauguay, Quebec, Canada
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Lyon
(on loan from Angel City)
Number 21
Youth career
2012–2014 Ottawa Capital United SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Cincinnati Bearcats 82 (17)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 West Ottawa SC 9 (2)
2018 Apollon Limassol 11 (10)
2018–2021 Bordeaux 65 (4)
2022– Angel City 7 (1)
2022– → Lyon (loan) 39 (7)
International career‡
2018 France U23 1 (0)
2019– Canada 44 (6)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 8, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 31, 2024

Vanessa Brigitte Gilles (born March 11, 1996) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Division 1 Féminine club Lyon, on loan from National Women's Soccer League team Angel City FC, and the Canada national team.

Early career

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Originally a tennis player, in her teenage years, Gilles quit the sport to switch to soccer. After briefly attempting to play as a goalkeeper, she became a defender.[3] She played for FC Capital United in Ottawa, Ontario, winning a league title in 2013. At the 2013 Canada Summer Games, she won a bronze medal with Team Ontario.[4]

College career

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Gilles then attended the University of Cincinnati in the United States, playing for the Cincinnati Bearcats from 2014 to 2017. She was named 2015 American Athletic Conference Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Tournament and, in 2016, became the first Bearcats women's athlete to earn all-conference first team accolades in both the preseason and postseason in American Athletic Conference history.[5] In 2017, she was named American Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year. When she won an Olympic gold medal in 2021, she became the fifth athlete in Bearcats history to do so.[6]

Club career

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West Ottawa SC

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In May 2017, Gilles joined League1 Ontario side West Ottawa SC. She scored two goals in nine appearances in the regular season,[7] and was selected to the 2017 League1 Ontario All-Star third team.[8] She was also selected to represent League1 Ontario in the All-Star game against the Team Ontario squad competing in the 2017 Canada Games.[9][10]

Apollon Limassol

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In January 2018, Gilles signed a short-term contract with Cypriot First Division side Apollon Limassol.[11] She made her professional debut for the club on January 14, starting in a 1–1 draw with Anorthosis Famagusta.[8] She scored 10 goals in 11 appearances for the club in the regular season,[12] and made three appearances in the Cypriot Women's Cup tournament, helping Apollon Limassol win the final against Pyrgos Limassol on penalties.[13][14]

Bordeaux

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In July 2018, Gilles signed a two-year contract with Division 1 Féminine side Girondins de Bordeaux.[15][14] In May 2020, she signed a two-year extension with Bordeaux.[16]

Angel City FC

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After 3.5 years at Bordeaux, Gilles would transfer to NWSL club Angel City FC for an undisclosed fee. She would sign a contract for 2022 with an option for 2023.[17]

Lyon (loan)

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In September 2022, Gilles signed for Lyon on a season-long loan.[18] Her loan was later extended until June 2025.[19]

International career

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Although born in Quebec, Gilles was eligible to play for France as her father was born in Paris.[20] In November 2018, Gilles was called into the France U23 camp, and played for Les Bleues in a 5–2 victory against Belgium.[21]

Canada

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On January 18, 2019, she made her unofficial debut for Canada in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Switzerland.[22] On November 10, she made her official debut in a 3–0 victory against New Zealand at the 2019 Yongchuan International Tournament.[23]

She was named to the Canadian national team for the 2020 Summer Olympics. She scored the decisive penalty shootout goal for Canada in the quarterfinals against Brazil.[24] Although her penalty shootout attempt in the final of the tournament against Sweden hit the crossbar, Canada won the game and she would earn her first Olympic gold medal.[25] She was named to the roster for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[26]

Gilles is a member of the Canadian national team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Personal life

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On March 20, 2019, Gilles spoke at the United Nations in New York City, as part of the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.[27]

For the first twelve years of her life, her family lived in Shanghai, before returning to Canada to live in Ottawa.[28] She graduated high school from École secondaire publique Louis-Riel and then graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati with a major in criminal justice and a minor in IT.[29][30]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of October 8, 2024.[31][32][33]
Club League Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
West Ottawa SC League1 Ontario 2017 9 2 — — — 9 2
Apollon Limassol Cypriot First Division 2017–18 11 10 3 0 — — 14 10
Girondins de Bordeaux D1 Féminine 2018–19 20 1 1 0 — — 21 1
2019–20 16 0 3 0 — — 19 0
2020–21 19 1 1 0 — — 20 1
2021–22 10 2 0 0 4 2 — 14 4
Total 65 4 5 0 4 2 0 0 74 6
Angel City FC NWSL 2022 7 1 6 1 0 0 — 13 2
Lyon (loan) Première Ligue 2022–23 13 3 3 0 6 1 — 22 4
2023–24 18 3 2 1 11 3 1 0 32 7
2024–25 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 1
Career total 34 7 5 1 18 4 1 0 58 12
Career total 126 24 19 2 22 5 1 0 164 32

International goals

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As of July 31, 2024
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. February 20, 2022 Carrow Road, Norwich, England  Germany 1–0 1–0 2022 Arnold Clark Cup
2. April 9, 2022 BC Place, Vancouver, Canada  Nigeria 2–0 2–0 Friendly
3. February 19, 2023 Geodis Park, Nashville, United States  Brazil 1–0 2–0 2023 SheBelieves Cup
4. April 6, 2024 Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States  Brazil 1–0 1–1 (a.e.t.) 2024 SheBelieves Cup
5. July 28, 2024 Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France  France 2–1 2–1 2024 Summer Olympics
6. July 31, 2024 Stade de Nice, Nice, France  Colombia 1–0 1–0

Honours

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Apollon Limassol

Lyon

Canada

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Women's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 Squad Lists" (PDF). FIFA.
  2. ^ Vanessa Gilles at the Canadian Soccer Association
  3. ^ "Centre back Vanessa Gilles making case to be part of Canadian Olympic roster".
  4. ^ "'I was crying': Former teammate, coaches watch Ottawa defender's gold-medal win". CBC.ca. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "Vanessa Gilles – Women's Soccer".
  6. ^ "Vanessa Gilles, Canada Claim Gold Medal in Epic Win over Sweden".
  7. ^ "Vanessa Gilles". League1 Ontario. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Four League1 Alumni Sign High-Profile Pro Contracts". League1 Ontario. February 6, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "Final Selection Announced For 2017 Women's All-Star Match Versus Canada Games' Team Ontario". League1 Ontario. July 25, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "2017 Women's League1 Ontario All-Stars Defeated In Penalties By Canada Games' Team Ontario". League1 Ontario. July 26, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "Gilles Signs Professional Contract with Apollon Ladies FC". University of Cincinnati Athletics. January 19, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  12. ^ Prusina, Sandra (May 20, 2019). "Vanessa Gilles took different path towards Canadian women's team". Sportsnet. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  13. ^ a b "APOLLON LIMASSOL VS. PYRGOS LIMASSOL 2 – 2". Soccerway. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "Gilles Signs with Girondins de Bordeaux in French First Division". University of Cincinnati Athletics. July 20, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "Vanessa Gilles rejoint les Girondins" (in French). FC Girondins de Bordeaux. July 16, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  16. ^ "Vanessa Gilles obtient une prolongation à Bordeaux". La Presse. May 26, 2020.
  17. ^ "Angel City Football Club signs Canadian Olympic Gold medalist Vanessa Gilles". Angel City FC. December 17, 2021.
  18. ^ "Arrivée sous forme de prêt de Vanessa Gilles". Angel City. September 19, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  19. ^ "Defender Vanessa Gilles Extends Loan to Lyon". Angel City.
  20. ^ "Vanessa Gilles". Canada Soccer Association. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  21. ^ "Vanessa Gilles Receives Call From Canadian Women's National Team". University of Cincinnati Athletics. January 10, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  22. ^ Jobin, Jonathan (January 18, 2019). "Le début d'un rêve pour Vanessa Gilles avec l'équipe nationale". Radio-Canada.ca (in French). Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  23. ^ "Canada WNT win 3:0 over New Zealand to close out 2019 international season". Canada Soccer Association. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  24. ^ "Gilles, Labbe lift Canada to Olympic semifinal after penalty kicks win over Brazil". July 30, 2021.
  25. ^ "Canada win Olympic title after Julia Grosso sinks Sweden in shootout". TheGuardian.com. August 6, 2021.
  26. ^ "Former L1O players Smith and Gilles are heading to the Women's World Cup". League1 Ontario. July 11, 2023.
  27. ^ "Vanessa Gilles Speaks at UN-Women's Commission Event". University of Cincinnati Athletics. January 21, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  28. ^ "Vanessa Gilles, "globe-footeuse" de combats". fr.besoccer.com.
  29. ^ "La Franco-Ontarienne Vanessa Gilles championne olympique de soccer". August 6, 2021.
  30. ^ "Une franco d'Ottawa propulse le Canada en demi-finale". July 30, 2021.
  31. ^ "Vanessa Gilles". Soccerway. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  32. ^ "Vanessa Gilles". Cyprus Football Association. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  33. ^ "Vanessa Gilles". Footofeminin.fr (in French). Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  34. ^ "Dumornay, Lavelle and Shaw headline CMU20 Best XI". CONCACAF. July 19, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
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