Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles joins Bayern Munich after soccer success in France

Neil Davidson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 20, 2025 12:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

Canadian planetary defender Vanessa Gilles, who spent the past 3 seasons with France's Lyon connected indebtedness from Angel City FC of the NWSL, has been sold to Bayern Munich.

Angel City said the 29-year-old centre backmost from Ottawa volition articulation the German broadside connected July 1 erstwhile her indebtedness with Lyon concludes. Her declaration with Munich runs done June 30, 2028.

"Vanessa is simply a subordinate who ever gives 110 per cent connected the pitch. That's the benignant of quality that fits successful perfectly with FC Bayern and our philosophy," said Francisco De Sa Fardilha, method manager for the Bayern women's team. "She's 1 of the champion cardinal defenders successful the world, arsenic acold arsenic tackling and defending successful the punishment country are concerned.

"She besides has plentifulness of acquisition astatine the precise highest level. Vanessa has won the Olympic Games with her country, Canada, and has besides played successful the Champions League final. In that respect, she'll decidedly assistance america successful the large games, peculiarly successful Europe."

Gilles has won 51 caps for Canada and is 1 of the archetypal names connected Canadian caput manager Casey Stoney's squad sheet. Dominant successful the air, Gilles has scored 8 goals for Canada.

"Everyone knows Munich, everyone knows the past of this large club," Gilles said. "I'm looking guardant to moving with a squad that has represented precocious ambitions for galore years. That's a precise bully acceptable for my goals, beryllium it astatine home level oregon successful the Champions League. In addition, the household situation astir the full nine impressed maine a batch from the start."

The Bayern women are coming disconnected their 3rd consecutive Bundesliga title, and seventh successful all, aft finishing the play with a 19-1-2 record. Bayern, knocked retired of the women's Champions League by Lyon successful the quarterfinals, won each league crippled successful the 2nd fractional of the season.

WATCH | Gilles leads Canada implicit Mexico astatine Pinatar Cup successful February:

Bayern is besides location to Canada skipper Alphonso Davies, a prima fullback with the men's team.

Since joining Lyon, Gilles has made 77 appearances, with 9 goals and 5 assists successful 6,644 minutes played. She helped the nine to the UEFA Champions League rubric successful 2022 and French league titles successful 2022 and 2024.

Gilles, who scored Angel City's first-ever regular-season extremity connected April 29, 2022, played collegiate shot for the Cincinnati Bearcats betwixt 2014 and 2017. She joined Cypriot nine Apollon Limassol earlier moving to France with Girondins Bordeaux, wherever she worked nether incoming Bayern manager Jose Barcala.

She signed with Angel City successful January 2022, earlier being loaned retired to Lyon successful September that year.

Stoney called the determination to Munich "an breathtaking caller chapter" for Gilles.

"Sometimes alteration is good," she said. "It's a caller league, caller team. Sometimes being uncomfortable is simply a bully thing. It's going to agelong you and situation you. Tactically, a small spot different, I'd say, successful the German league than the French league. And again, Champions League shot astatine the highest level.

"It's lone going to payment her successful the agelong run. She's had a fantastic vocation astatine Lyon and I'm definite she's excited astir this caller chapter."