Wanya Marçal

Wanya Marçal-Madivadua (born 19 October 2002) is a professional footballer currently playing for Leicester City. Born in England, he has represented Portugal at youth international level.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Marçal and the second or paternal family name is Madivadua.

Wanya Marçal
Personal information
Full name Wanya Marçal-Madivadua[1]
Date of birth (2002-10-19) 19 October 2002
Place of birth Leicester, England[1]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Leicester City
Number 40
Youth career
Feeder Soccer
2013–2015 Peterborough United
2015–2022 Leicester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Leicester City 2 (1)
International career‡
2021–2022 Portugal U20 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:59, 3 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:59, 19 April 2022 (UTC)

Early life

Marçal was born in Leicester, but grew up in Peterborough with his mother and step-father.[2] He is the eldest of four siblings, with his step-brother Cheyenne Loureiro, as well as his brother, Luegi, playing for Leicester City, while his other step-brother, Giovanni Loureiro, also played for the club before moving on to Bolton Wanderers.[2]

Club career

Early career

Initially playing football in a local park with his brothers, Marçal joined a local academy named Feeder Soccer, before being scouted and signed by professional side Peterborough United at the age of ten.[2]

Leicester City

His step-brother, Giovanni, had joined the academy of Leicester City, and was shortly followed by Marçal, who joined the club in 2015, at the age of twelve.[2][3] Having progressed through the academy, he signed a professional contract with the club in July 2021, despite interest from a number of clubs across Europe, and was promoted to the first-team squad.[4] On 8 January 2022, Marçal made his professional debut with Leicester City in a 4–1 FA Cup win over Watford, coming on as a half-time substitute for Vontae Daley-Campbell.[5][6]

Ahead of the 2023–24 season, Marçal signed a contract extension with the club.[7] Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Marçal featured in all of Leicester City's pre-season games, including travelling with the first-team squad to Thailand and Singapore.[8]

Following the loss of a number of first-team players due to Leicester City's relegation from the Premier League, he was handed his league debut in the EFL Championship in a 1–0 win against Huddersfield Town on 12 August 2023 by Maresca.[2][9] The following Saturday, he scored his first professional goal in a 2–1 win over Cardiff City, volleying past goalkeeper Jak Alnwick following an headed clearance by a Cardiff City defender from a Leicester City corner.[2][3] Despite his bright start to the season, he was dropped for the following game away at Rotherham United, with Leicester manager Maresca, who opted to have two goalkeepers on the bench instead, stating that Marçal needed to "earn" his place in the team.[10]

International career

Born in England, Marçal is of Portuguese and Angolan descent. He is a youth international for Portugal, having represented the Portugal U20s.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of 3 September 2023.[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Leicester City U21 2021–22 ————2[lower-alpha 1]020
Leicester City 2021–22 Premier League 001000000010
2023–24 Championship 210020000041
Career total 211020002071
  1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy

References
  1. Wanya Marçal at WorldFootball.net
  2. Tanner, Rob (25 August 2023). "Wanya Marcal's first Leicester City goal was very much a family affair". theathletic.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. Pawley, Luke (19 August 2023). "Leicester City 'dream' was eight years in the making for newest star". leicestermercury.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  4. de Cunha, Jorge (6 July 2021). "Leicester integra no plantel principal o português Wanya Marçal" [Leicester includes Portuguese Wanya Marçal in its main squad]. maisfutebol.iol.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  5. McGovern, Ste (8 January 2022). "Neil Lennon nails why Daley-Campbell deserved to avoid red card". LeicestershireLive.
  6. "Chama-se Wanya Marçal, é português e estreou-se na primeira equipa do Leicester" [His name is Wanya Marçal, he is Portuguese and made his debut in Leicester's first team]. ojogo.pt (in Portuguese). 8 January 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  7. Blackwell, Jordan (19 June 2023). "Leicester City notebook: Promising duo sign deals with striker dilemma to impact squad planning". leicestermercury.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  8. Wilson, Amie (27 July 2023). "Enzo Maresca explains what's 'important' for young Leicester City players amid pre-season impact". leicestermercury.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  9. "Leicester City team news v Huddersfield: Stolarczyk & Marcal-Madivadua make first league starts". Leicestershire Live. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  10. Blackwell, Jordan (27 August 2023). "Enzo Maresca tells Wanya Marcal what he needs to do after winger dropped for Leicester City win". leicestermercury.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  11. "Wanya Marçal-Madivadua assina o seu primeiro contrato profissional". 12 July 2021.
  12. Wanya Marçal at Soccerway
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