{{short description|Ghanaian footballer (born 1996)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2017}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Gideon Waja | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|12|15}} | birth_place = Accra, Ghana | height = {{height|m=1.65}} | position = Midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = WAFA | years1 = 2015–2018 | clubs1 = WAFA | caps1 = 59+ | goals1 = 5+ | years2 = 2018–2020 | clubs2 = Toronto FC II | caps2 = 32 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2020–2022 | clubs3 = AFC Leopards | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 2023–2024 | clubs4 = Hamilton United | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2011 | nationalteam1 = Ghana U17 | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2017 | nationalteam2 = Ghana | nationalcaps2 = 3 | nationalgoals2 = 1 | club-update = June 9, 2024 | nationalteam-update = February 24, 2018 }}
'''Gideon Waja''' (born December 15, 1996) is a Ghanaian footballer.
== Club career == Waja began his senior career with West African Football Academy in 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beachfmonline.com/2018/02/16/2018-02-16-wafa-agree-gideon-wajas-move-to-toronto-fc/|title=WAFA agree Gideon Waja's move to Toronto FC|date=February 16, 2018|work=Beach FM}}</ref> where he served as vice-captain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/wafa-deputy-skipper-gideon-waja-anticipating-a-keenly-contested-20152016-ghana-premier-league|title=WAFA deputy skipper Gideon Waja anticipating a keenly contested 2015/2016 Ghana Premier League|date=November 25, 2015|work=Ghana SoccerNet|first=Rahman|last=Osman}}</ref> Afterwards, he became the team's captain in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://focalsportsonline.wordpress.com/2019/09/17/if-wafa-was-to-have-a-game-it-all-depended-on-waja-ashimeru-hails-brother-gideon-waja/|title='If WAFA Was To Have A Game It All Depended On Waja' – Ashimeru Hails 'Brother' Gideon Waja|date=September 17, 2019|work=FocalSports|first=Godwin Nii|last=Armah Tagoe}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myjoyonline.com/wafas-gideon-waja-happy-with-black-stars-call-up/|title=WAFA's Gideon Waja happy with Black Stars call-up|date=August 24, 2017|work=MyJoy Online}}</ref> At the end of the 2016 season, the club received transfer offers from Aduana Stars and Kotoko,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/aduana-stars-strongly-enter-race-to-sign-wafa-talisman-gideon-waja|title=Aduana Stars strongly enter race to sign WAFA talisman Gideon Waja|date=November 11, 2016|work=Ghana SoccerNet|first=El|last=Akyereko}}</ref> but he ultimately remained with WAFA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/wafa-midfielder-gideon-waja-not-desperate-to-leave-the-club|title=WAFA midfielder Gideon Waja not desperate to leave the club|date=December 5, 2016|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref> In November 2017, he began training with Kuwaiti side Qadsia SC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-black-stars-b-trio-stephen-sarfo-felix-addo-and-gideon-waja-on-trials-at-kuwaiti-side-qadsia|title=Exclusive: Black Stars B trio Stephen Sarfo, Felix Addo and Gideon Waja on trials at Kuwaiti side Qadsia|date=November 15, 2017|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasportsonline.com/2017/11/exclusive-wafa-midfielder-gideon-waja-set-swerve-al-qadsia-join-mls-side-toronto-fc/|title=Exclusive: WAFA midfielder Gideon Waja set to swerve Al-Qadsia to join MLS side Toronto FC|date=November 16, 2017|work=Shana Sports Online|first=El|last=Akyereko}}</ref> In November 2017, it was announced that Waja would leave the club after the season with Major League Soccer clubs New York City FC and Toronto FC were being linked as potentially interested clubs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.modernghana.com/sports/818723/gideon-waja-will-not-be-with-us-in-the-201718-gpl-season-.html|title=Gideon Waja Will Not Be With Us In The 2017/18 GPL Season – WAFA Operations Manager |work=Modern Ghana|first=Samuel Ekow|last=Amoasi Appiah|date=November 24, 2017}}</ref>
In February 2018, he signed with Canadian side Toronto FC II in the USL.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/official-usl-side-toronto-fc-ii-announce-signing-wafa-captain-gideon-waja|title=Official: USL side Toronto FC II announce signing WAFA captain Gideon Waja|date=February 21, 2018|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref> In 2020, the club opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in Waja not playing that season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsworldghana.com/no-football-for-gideon-waja-this-season/|title=No football for Gideon Waja this season|first=Edmund Okai|last=Gyimah|date=July 30, 2020|work=Sports World Ghana}}</ref> In March 2020, he returned to Ghana, and began training with his former club WAFA, while were also interested in signing him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanaguardian.com/gpl-kotoko-open-talks-to-sign-gideon-waja|title=GPL: Kotoko open talks to sign Gideon Waja|date=March 17, 2020|work=Ghana Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickgh.com/ghana-premier-league/9270-kotoko-make-move-to-sign-gideon-waja|title=Kotoko make move to sign Gideon Waja|work=KickGH|date=March 17, 2020}}</ref>
In November 2020, he signed with Kenyan Premier League club AFC Leopards on a one-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kahawatungu.com/leopards-sign-gideon-waja/|title=FKFPL Transfers: Leopards Sign Ghanaian Midfielder Gideon Waja|date=November 7, 2020|first=Bonface|last=Osano|work=KahawaTungu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://footy-ghana.com/2020/11/gideon-waja-ex-wafa-captain-signs-for-kenyas-afc-leopards/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521121051/https://footy-ghana.com/2020/11/gideon-waja-ex-wafa-captain-signs-for-kenyas-afc-leopards/|archive-date=May 21, 2023|url-status=dead|date=November 7, 2020|title=Gideon Waja: Ex-WAFA captain signs for Kenya's AFC Leopards|work=Footy Ghana}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-ghanaian-midfielder-gideon-waja-joins-kenyan-giants-afc-leopards|title=Exclusive: Ghanaian midfielder Gideon Waja joins Kenyan giants AFC Leopards|work=Ghana SoccerNet|date=November 7, 2020}}</ref>
In 2023, he played with Hamilton United in League1 Ontario.<ref name=23ham>{{Cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/65660131?subseason=875807|title=Gideon Waja 2023 L1O Stats|work=League1 Ontario}}</ref>
== International career == Waja played at the youth level with Ghana U17.<ref name=tfc2>{{Cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-ii-sign-midfielder-gideon-waja|title=Toronto FC II sign midfielder Gideon Waja|date=February 20, 2018|work=Toronto FC}}</ref>
In June 2015, he attended a camp with the Ghana national team ahead of the 2015 COSAFA Cup, but did not make the final squad.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614194622/http://westafricanfootballacademy.com/welcome/?p=3964|url=http://westafricanfootballacademy.com/welcome/?p=3964|archive-date=June 14, 2018|url-status=dead|title=Midfield ace Gideon Waja has rejoined the #wafasc First Team after being released by the Local Black Stars|work=West African Football Academy|date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> On May 25, 2017, Waja made his international debut at senior level in a 1–1 draw against Benin with the Ghana B team (it counted as a full international, but a majority of the main squad players were not called up).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/transfer-news-toronto-fc-ii-announce-the-signing-of-gideon-waja/9vlrnvl|title=Toronto FC II announce the signing of Gideon Waja|first=Kwaki|last=Annor|date=February 21, 2018|work=Pulse Ghana}}</ref> On 12 August 2017, he scored against Burkina Faso in the 2018 African Nations Championship qualification matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/outstanding-musah-nuhu-earns-praises-from-gideon-waja-after-ghanas-2-2-stalemate-with-burkina-faso-in-chan-qualifier|title=Outstanding Musah Nuhu earns praises from Gideon Waja after Ghana's 2-2 stalemate with Burkina Faso in CHAN qualifier|date=August 14, 2017|first=Sheikh|last=Tophic Sienu|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref> In September 2017, he was called up for two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Congo, with was his first call-up with the full Ghanaian team,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/wafa-captain-gideon-waja-trains-with-black-stars-for-the-first-time|title=WAFA captain Gideon Waja trains with Black Stars for the first time|date=August 29, 2017|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/wafa-star-gideon-waja-delighted-with-debut-black-stars-call-up|title=WAFA star Gideon Waja delighted with debut Black Stars call-up|date=August 24, 2017|work=Ghana SoccerNet}}</ref> but was an unused substitute in both matches.<ref name=tfc2 /> He then won the 2017 WAFU Cup of Nations with the national B team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusive-ghanaian-midfielder-gideon-waja-joins-kenyan-giants-afc-leopards|title=Exclusive! Ghanaian midfielder Gideon Waja joins Kenyan giants AFC Leopards|work=Ghana SoccerNet|date=November 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://footy-ghana.com/2018/02/gideon-waja-leaves-wafa-toronto-fc/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126222827/http://footy-ghana.com/2018/02/gideon-waja-leaves-wafa-toronto-fc/|url-status=dead|title=Gideon Waja leaves WAFA for Toronto FC|date=February 16, 2018|archive-date=January 26, 2020|work=Footy Ghana}}</ref>
== Career statistics == ===Club=== {{updated|June 9, 2024}}<ref>{{soccerway|gideon-waja/435965}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |League ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="2" |League ! colspan="2" |Playoffs ! colspan="2" |Domestic Cup ! colspan="2" |Other ! colspan="2" |Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- | rowspan="3" |WAFA | rowspan="2" |Ghana Premier League |2016 |26||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||26||1 |- |2017 |33||4||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||33||4 |- !colspan="2"|Total !59!!5!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!59!!5 |- |rowspan=3|Toronto FC II |USL |2018 |18||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||18||0 |- |USL League One |2019 |14||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||14||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !32!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!32!!0 |- |rowspan=3|Hamilton United |rowspan=2|League1 Ontario |2023<ref name=23ham /> |8||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||8||0 |- |2024 |6||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||1||0||7||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !14!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!colspan="2"|–!!1!!0!!15!!0 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !105!!5!!0!!0!!1!!0!!106!!5 |}
===International goals=== :''Scores and results list Ghana's goal tally first.''<ref name="NFT">{{NFT player|id=68064|accessdate=14 August 2019}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;" ! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- | 1. || 12 August 2017 || Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso || {{fb|BFA}} || align=center | '''2'''–1 || align=center | 2–2 || 2018 African Nations Championship qualification |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Sports links}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waja, Gideon}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:Ghanaian men's footballers Category:Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers Category:Ghana men's international footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Toronto FC II players Category:USL League One players Category:USL Championship players Category:West African Football Academy players Category:Ghana Premier League players Category:Ontario Premier League players Category:A.F.C. Leopards players Category:Hamilton United players Category:21st-century Ghanaian sportsmen