Georges Mukumbilwa

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Georges Mukumbilwa

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname = Georges Mukumbilwa{{Canada Soccer player|id=4239}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|09|23}}

|birth_place = Kalima, DR Congo

|height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}

|position = Right-back, Midfielder

|currentclub = Pacific FC

|clubnumber = 2

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Portage Trail SC

|youthyears2 = 2014–2019

|youthclubs2 = Vancouver Whitecaps FC

|years1 = 2016 |clubs1 = Whitecaps FC 2 |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2019–2020 |clubs2 = Vancouver Whitecaps FC |caps2 = 1 |goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2022– |clubs3 = Pacific FC |caps3 = 49 |goals3 = 0

|club-update = October 11, 2024

|ntupdate =

|nationalyears1 = 2016

|nationalteam1 = Canada U18

|nationalcaps1 = 1

|nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Georges Mukumbilwa (born September 23, 1999) is a professional soccer player who plays as a right-back for Canadian Premier League team Pacific FC. Born in the DR Congo, he represented Canada internationally at youth level.

Early life

Mukumbilwa was born in Kalima, Democratic Republic of Congo, but grew up in a refugee camp in Rwanda, after fleeing a civil war in his home country.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/08/23/georges-mukumbilwa-signs-homegrown-player-deal-vancouver-whitecaps-fc-0|title=Georges Mukumbilwa signs Homegrown Player deal with Vancouver Whitecaps FC|work=Major League Soccer|date=August 23, 2019|first=Jonathan|last=Sigal}}{{cite web|url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/holding-down-the-fort-dada-luke-and-mukumbilwa-excited-to-return-for-2024-cpl-season|title=Holding Down the Fort: Dada-Luke and Mukumbilwa excited to return for 2024 CPL season|date=January 11, 2024|work=Pacific FC}} He moved to Winnipeg, Canada with his family, at age 13{{cite web|url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-brings-back-dada-luke-and-mukumbilwa|title=Pacific FC brings back Dada-Luke and Mukumbilwa|date=January 11, 2024|work=Pacific FC}} where began playing organized soccer with Portage Trail SC.{{Cite web|url=https://aftn.ca/georges-mukumbilwa-becomes-latest-vancouver-whitecaps-homegrown-signing/|title=Georges Mukumbilwa overcomes "really tough" start in Vancouver to become the latest Whitecaps MLS Homegrown signing|date=August 23, 2019|first=Michael|last=McColl|work=Away from the Numbers}} He joined the Manitoba provincial team at U15 level. In 2014, Mukumbilwa joined the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy.{{cite web|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/hard-work-pays-mukumbilwa-takes-inspiration-bair-davies-and-mom|title=Hard work pays off: Mukumbilwa takes inspiration from Bair, Davies, and mom|first=Brandon|last=Timko|date=August 23, 2019|work=Vancouver Whitecaps FC}} He eventually joined the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 squad for matches.{{cite web|url=https://theprovince.com/sports/soccer/mls/vancouver-whitecaps/j-j-adams-whitecaps-aim-to-come-in-from-the-cold-with-revitalized-academy-system|first=J.J.|last=Adams|title=Whitecaps aim to come in from the cold with revitalized academy system|date=March 22, 2019|work=The Province}} He was called up to the Whitecaps FC 2 squad for a match on September 2, 2016, in the USL, but did not appear in the match.{{cite web |title=Georges Mukumbilwa VWFC profile|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/players/georges-mukumbilwa/ |publisher=Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}

Club career

In August 2019, Mukumbilwa signed as a homegrown player with Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC, after having participated in the team's preseason camp earlier in the year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/wfc-sign-mukumbilwa|title=Whitecaps FC sign Academy product Georges Mukumbilwa|date=August 23, 2019|work=Vancouver Whitecaps FC}}{{cite web|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/2019/08/23/winnipegger-climbs-up-to-whitecaps-main-squad|title=Winnipegger climbs up to Whitecaps' main squad|first=Devon|last=Shewchuk|work=Winnipeg Free Press|date=August 23, 2019}} On October 6, 2019, Mukumbilwa made his first MLS appearance, coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute of a 1–0 defeat to Real Salt Lake.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-vancouver-whitecaps-1-0-loss-to-real-salt-lake-ends-dismal-season/|title=Vancouver Whitecaps' 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake ends dismal season|date=October 6, 2020|work=The Globe & Mail|first=Gemma|last=Karstens-Smith}} He did not appear in any matches in the 2020 season, as visa issues prevented him from travelling to the United States, where the Whitecaps played the majority of their matches, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://btsvancity.com/2020/12/14/caps-look-back-breaking-down-how-the-vancouver-whitecaps-u23-homegrowns-and-draftees-did-in-2020/|title='Caps Look Back: Breaking down how the Vancouver Whitecaps U23 homegrowns and draftees did in 2020|work=BTS Vancouver|first=Alexandre|last=Gangué-Ruzic|date=December 14, 2020}} He was released by Vancouver on November 30, 2020, with Vancouver's CEO Axel Schuster stating "Georges is a hard working player with good character". "We felt now is the right time for him to find a new team so he can earn regular minutes...".{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2020/11/30/vwfc-roster-update|title=Whitecaps FC announce first roster moves ahead of 2021|work=Vancouver Whitecaps FC|date=November 30, 2020}} In 2021, he went on trial with Canadian Premier League club Valour FC.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-2021-preseason-camp/|title=Valour FC Preseason Camp Begins With Trialists Aplenty|date=May 17, 2021|work=Northern Tribune|last=Jacques|first=John}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-georges-mukumbilwa/|title=Has Pacific Found Its Replacement For Kadin Chung?|date=March 14, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|last=Jacques|first=John}}

In March 2022, Mukumbilwa signed with Canadian Premier League team Pacific FC,{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2022 |title=Pacific FC signs former Whitecaps fullback Georges Mukumbilwa |url=https://canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-signs-former-whitecaps-fullback-georges-mukumbilwa |website=Canadian Premier League}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.transfermarkt.us/georges-mukumbilwa-joins-pacific-fc-quot-got-great-character-quot-/view/news/401484|title=Georges Mukumbilwa joins Pacific FC - "Got great character"|date=March 18, 2022|first=Manuel|last=Veth|work=Transfermarkt}} after having trialed with them in preseason.{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-georges-mukumbilwa-2022/|title=Pacific Adds Former Whitecaps Youngster Georges Mukumbilwa|date=March 18, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} He helped the club qualify for the playoffs in his debut season.{{Cite web|url=https://foot.cd/d1-canada-nathan-mavila-georges-mukumbilwa-et-pacific-fc-confortent-leur-place-pour-les-play-off/|title=D1 Canada : Nathan Mavila, Georges Mukumbilwa et Pacific FC confortent leur place pour les Play Off|language=fr|trans-title=D1 Canada: Nathan Mavila, Georges Mukumbilwa and Pacific FC confirm their place for the Play Off|first=Michel|last=Tobo|work=Foot.cd|date=October 7, 2022}} In September 2023, he signed an extension through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025.{{cite web|url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-re-signs-mukumbilwa-to-new-contract|title=Pacific FC re-signs Mukumbilwa to new contract|date=September 21, 2023|work=Pacific FC|first=Jack|last=Longo}}{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-fc-georges-mukumbilwa-2024/|title=Pacific Re-Signs Mukumbilwa|date=September 21, 2023|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune}} After the 2024 season, the club picked up his option for 2025.{{cite web|url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/pacific-fc-exercise-2025-option-on-fullback-georges-mukumbilwa|title=Pacific FC Exercise 2025 Option on Fullback Georges Mukumbilwa|date=January 10, 2025|work=Pacific FC}}{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/pacific-retrains-georges-mukumbilwa-for-25/|title=Pacific Retains Georges Mukumbilwa For '25|date=January 10, 2025|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}

International career

In 2016, he was called up to the Canada U18 team.{{Cite web|url=https://pacificfc.canpl.ca/article/george-mukumbilwa-joins-pacific-fc-for-2022|title=George Mukumbilwa joins Pacific FC for 2022!|date=March 18, 2022|work=Pacific FC|first=Jack|last=Longo}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Playoffs !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan=3\|Vancouver Whitecaps FC \|2019 \|rowspan=2\|Major League Soccer \|1	0	colspan="2"\|–	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	1	0
2020 \|0	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	0	0
colspan="2" \|Total !1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
rowspan=4\|Pacific FC \|2022 \|rowspan=3\|Canadian Premier League \|17	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	20	0
2023 \|21	0	3	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|–	27	0
2024 \|11	0	0	0	2	0	colspan="2"\|–	13	0
colspan="2" \|Total !49	0	4	0	5	0	2	0	60	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !50	0	4	0	5	0	2	0	61	0