Pacifique Niyongabire
Pacifique Niyongabire (born 15 March 2000) is a Burundian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Valour FC in the Canadian Premier League and the Burundi national football team.
 Niyongabire warming up for Perth Glory in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pacifique Niyongabire | ||
| Date of birth | 15 March 2000[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bujumbura, Burundi | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Valour FC | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Playford City Patriots | |||
| Gawler Eagles | |||
| 2017–2019 | Adelaide United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Adelaide United NPL | 56 | (25) |
| 2018–2021 | Adelaide United | 20 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Perth Glory | 17 | (0) |
| 2023– | Valour FC | 25 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Burundi | 5 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 September 2023 | |||
Early life
Niyongabire was born in Burundi, and spent his early childhood in Tanzania, before migrating to Australia with his family at age seven.[2] In Australia, he played youth football with the Playford City Patriots and Gawler, before joining Adelaide United at age 17.[2]
Club career
Niyongabire was initially given a scholarship to the Adelaide United Football Schools, after being discovered by the club.[3] He began playing for the Adelaide United NPL team in the second-tier NPL South Australia.[3] On 14 January 2018, he was called up to the Adelaide United first team in the A-League Men, making his professional debut against Sydney.[3] In March 2018, he signed a two-and-a-half year scholarship contract with the first team.[3][4] On 30 July 2020, he scored his first A-League goal against Perth Glory.[5] In June 2021, he departed the club, upon the expiry of his contract.[6]
In August 2021, he signed with Perth Glory in the A-League Men, following a successful pre-season trial.[7][8] In December 2022, he terminated his contract by mutual consent with the club to pursue another playing opportunity.[9]
In December 2022, he signed with Canadian Premier League club Valour FC for the 2023 season.[10] Niyongabire made his debut for Valour FC on 16 April 2023 against York United, recording an assist in the match.[11] He scored his first goal for the club on 20 May 2023 against Pacific FC.[11]
International career
On 16 November 2022, he made his debut for the Burundi national football team in a friendly against Ivory Coast.[12] On 19 November, he scored in a 1–0 victory in an unofficial friendly against Guinea U23.[13] On 25 March 2023, he scored his first goal for the national team in a friendly match against Indonesia in a 3–1 loss (his previous goal was considered unofficial, as the match was not against a senior national team).[14][15] In June 2023, he was called up for his first official tournament match (non-friendly) ahead of a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match.[16]
Personal life
He is the younger brother of Elvis Kamsoba, who is also a professional footballer who also plays on the Burundi national football team.[17]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Adelaide United NPL | 2017 | NPL South Australia | 19 | 5 | — | — | — | 19 | 5 | |||
| 2018 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 10 | ||||
| 2019 | 13 | 7 | — | — | — | 13 | 7 | |||||
| 2020 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | |||||
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 56 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 25 | ||
| Adelaide United | 2017–18 | A-League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | ||
| Perth Glory | 2021–22 | A-League | 17 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | ||
| Valour FC | 2023 | Canadian Premier League | 25 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 118 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 27 | ||
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 25 March 2023 | Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi, Indonesia |  Indonesia | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
References
- Pacifique Niyongabire at WorldFootball.net
- Phillips, Liam (5 August 2020). "Former Eagles make splash on the big stage". The Bunyip.
- "Reds sign Pacifique Niyongabire to scholarship contract". Adelaide United FC. 6 March 2018.
- Greenwood, Rob (8 March 2018). "Adelaide United signs teenager Pacifique Niyongabire on A-League scholarship contract". The West Australian.
- Filosi, Gianluca (31 July 2020). "Niyongabire delighted to score maiden Adelaide goal". Adelaide United FC.
- "Adelaide United scholarship update". Adelaide United FC. 28 June 2021.
- "Glory swoop for young dynamic duo". Perth Glory FC. 1 September 2021.
- Taylor, Nick (31 August 2021). "Perth Glory add Pacifique Niyongabire and Antonee Burke-Gilroy for the next two seasons". The West Australian.
- Morgan, Gareth (15 December 2022). "Niyongabire departs by mutual consent". Perth Glory FC.
- "Valour FC sign Burundian forward Pacifique Niyongabire". Valour FC. 19 December 2022.
- Marchetti, Christian (5 July 2023). "Pacifique Niyongabire: The former A-League Men winger thriving in Canada". Front Page Football.
- Jacques, John (19 December 2022). "Valour Adds A-League Forward Pacifique Niyongabire". Northern Tribune.
- Jacques, John (19 March 2023). "Niyongabire Nets Burundi Call Up". Northern Tribune.
- "Skor Sementara Indonesia Vs Burundi FIFA Matchday 2023, Gawang Timnas Dibobol Pacifique Niyongabire" [Provisional score for Indonesia vs Burundi FIFA Matchday 2023, Pacifique Niyongabire's goal was broken by the national team]. Tribun Network (in Indonesian). 25 March 2023.
- Tait, Ed (6 April 2023). "Pacifique Niyongabire: "I feel like I'm quite fast and I like to create things – whether it's coming inside or trying to dribble on the wing."". Valour FC.
- Jacques, John (12 June 2023). "On Song In CPL, Niyongabire Gets Burundi Nod". Northern Tribune.
- Migliaccio, Val (17 April 2020). "Adelaide United's Pacifique Niyongabire and Melbourne Victory's Elvis Kamsoba's mother is stranded in Burundi". The West Australian.
- Pacifique Niyongabire at Soccerway
- "Pacifique Niyongabire NPL Stats". MyGameDay.
External links
- Pacifique Niyongabire at Soccerway
- Pacifique Niyongabire at FootballDatabase.eu
- Pacifique Niyongabire at Valour FC