After success in France, Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles joins Bayern Munich

MUNICH — Canadian international defender Vanessa Gilles, who spent the last three seasons with France’s Lyon on loan from Angel City FC of the NWSL, has been sold to Bayern Munich.

Angel City said the 29-year-old centre back from Ottawa will join the German side on July 1 once her loan with Lyon concludes. Her contract with Munich runs through June 30, 2028.

“Vanessa is a player who always gives 110 per cent on the pitch. That’s the kind of character that fits in perfectly with FC Bayern and our philosophy,” said Francisco De Sá Fardilha, technical director for the Bayern women’s team. “She’s one of the best central defenders in the world, as far as tackling and defending in the penalty area are concerned.

“She also has plenty of experience at the very highest level. Vanessa has won the Olympic Games with her country, Canada, and has also played in the Champions League final. In that respect, she’ll definitely help us in the big games, particularly in Europe.”

Gilles has won 51 caps for Canada and is one of the first names on Canadian coach Casey Stoney’s team sheet. Dominant in the air, Gilles has scored eight goals for Canada.

“Everyone knows Munich, everyone knows the history of this great club,” Gilles said. “I’m looking forward to working with a team that has represented high ambitions for many years. That’s a very good fit for my goals, be it at domestic level or in the Champions League. In addition, the family environment around the whole club impressed me a lot from the start.”

The Bayern women are coming off their third straight Bundesliga title — and seventh in all — after finishing the season with a 19-1-2 record. Bayern, knocked out of the women’s Champions League by Lyon in the quarterfinals, won every league game in the second half of the season.

Bayern is also home to Canada captain Alphonso Davies, a star fullback with the men’s team.

Since joining Lyon, Gilles has made 77 appearances, with nine goals and five assists in 6,644 minutes played. She helped the club to the UEFA Champions League title in 2022 and French league titles in 2022 and 2024.

Gilles, who scored Angel City’s first-ever regular-season goal on April 29, 2022, played collegiate soccer for the Cincinnati Bearcats between 2014 and 2017. She joined Cypriot club Apollon Limassol before moving to France with Girondins Bordeaux, where she worked under incoming Bayern coach José Barcala.

She signed with Angel City in January 2022, before being loaned out to Lyon in September that year.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2025

The Canadian Press