{{short description|Cameroonian footballer}} <!-- {{Use Cameroonian English}} --> {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Michaela Abam | image = Michaela Abam.png | image_size = | caption = Abam with Real Betis in 2019 | fullname = Michaela-Batya Bisi Abam<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://graduation.wvu.edu/files/d/0869b035-83cb-4c75-83ee-a423aa29841d/41868_299730-wvu-president_spring-2018-commencment-program-txt.pdf|title=WVU Commencement Program|publisher=West Virginia University Graduation|page=31|access-date=25 May 2019|archive-date=25 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525165927/https://graduation.wvu.edu/files/d/0869b035-83cb-4c75-83ee-a423aa29841d/41868_299730-wvu-president_spring-2018-commencment-program-txt.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|6|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Houston, Texas, United States | height = 1.70 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Cruz Azul | clubnumber = 18 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Texas Rush | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = | collegeyears1 = 2014–2017 | college1 = West Virginia Mountaineers | collegecaps1 =95 | collegegoals1 = 42 | years1 = 2018 | clubs1 = Sky Blue FC | caps1 = 4 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2018–2019 | clubs2 = Paris FC | caps2 = 10 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2019–2020 | clubs3 = Real Betis | caps3 = 20 | goals3 = 3 | years4 = 2021–2022 | clubs4 = Houston Dash | caps4 = 19 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2023 | clubs5 = Linköping FC | caps5 = 15 | goals5 = 2 | years6 = 2024–2025 | clubs6 = Deportivo Toluca | caps6= 54 | goals6 = 16 | years7 = 2026– | clubs7 = Cruz Azul | caps7 = 6 | goals7 = 2 |nationalyears1 = 2013 |nationalteam1 = United States U17 |nationalcaps1 = |nationalgoals1 = |nationalyears2 = 2018– |nationalteam2 = Cameroon |nationalcaps2 = 6 |nationalgoals2 = 3 | club-update = 1 February 2026 | ntupdate = 21:30, 17 July 2022 (UTC) }} '''Michaela-Batya Bisi Abam''' (born 12 June 1997) is an American-born Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX Femenil club Cruz Azul and the Cameroon national team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parisfootballclub.com/feminines/michaela-abam-rejoint-le-paris-fc|title=Michaela Abam rejoint le Paris FC|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=21 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621152702/https://www.parisfootballclub.com/feminines/michaela-abam-rejoint-le-paris-fc/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She previously played for Houston Dash and Sky Blue FC in the American National Women's Soccer League, Real Betis in the Spanish Primera División, Paris FC in the Division 1 Féminine, and West Virginia University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skybluefc.com/player/michaela-abam/|title=MICHAELA ABAM|accessdate=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801220918/http://www.skybluefc.com/player/michaela-abam/|archive-date=August 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="k442-linko">{{cite news |url=https://kick442.com/transfer-michaela-abam-leaves-houston-dash-as-she-returns-to-europe/ |title=Transfer: Michaela Abam leaves Houston Dash as she returns to Europe |date=4 April 2023 |access-date=3 May 2023 |work=Kick 442}}</ref>
==Early life== Abam was born in Houston, Texas. She attended Harmony Science Academy High School and played youth soccer with Texas Rush, which later became part of Houston Dynamo/Dash Youth Academy.<ref name="hc-2021">{{cite news |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/dynamo/article/Houston-Dash-s-Michaela-Abam-has-happy-16386574.php |title=Houston Dash's Michaela Abam has happy homecoming |date=13 August 2021 |access-date=3 May 2023 |work=Texas Sports Nation |publisher=Houston Chronicle |first=Corey |last=Roepken}}</ref>
==College career== Abam played in a school-record 95 games for the Mountaineers, scoring 42 goals and 16 assists. In 2016, she scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over the University of North Carolina in the College Cup semi-final, leading WVU to their first-ever College Cup final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2016/12/02/michaela-abam-goal-advances-wvu-to-college-cup-final/|title=Michaela Abam goal advances WVU to College Cup final|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=December 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/18191905 |title=West Virginia women's soccer headed to the Final |date=3 December 2016 |access-date=3 May 2023 |website=ESPN}}</ref>
==Club career== ===Sky Blue FC, 2018=== Abam was selected by Sky Blue FC as the 4th overall pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2018/1/18/16904980/2018-nwsl-college-draft-picks-results-all-selections-tracker|title=NWSL draft results: All the picks from all 4 rounds|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=January 18, 2018}}</ref> In March she was named to the final roster for the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.onceametro.com/2018/3/19/17141194/sky-blue-fc-announces-official-2018-season-roster-carli-lloyd-savannah-mccaskill-denise-reddy|title=Sky Blue FC announces official 2018 season roster|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=March 19, 2018}}</ref> After appearing in four games for Sky Blue, she was waived by the team on July 25.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://equalizersoccer.com/2018/07/25/wednesday-roundup-sky-blue-fc-waive-thaisa-and-michaela-abam/|title=Wednesday Roundup: Sky Blue FC waive Thaisa and Michaela Abam|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=July 25, 2018}}</ref>
===Paris FC, 2018–2019=== On 1 August 2018, Abam signed a one-year contract to play for Paris FC in France's Division 1 Féminine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parisfootballclub.com/feminines/michaela-abam-rejoint-le-paris-fc/|title=Michaela Abam rejoint le Paris FC|accessdate=August 1, 2018|date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=21 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621152702/https://www.parisfootballclub.com/feminines/michaela-abam-rejoint-le-paris-fc/|url-status=dead}}</ref> She appeared in 10 league matches and scored one goal.<ref name="goal-betis"/>
===Real Betis, 2019–2020=== On 7 August 2019, Abam signed a one-year contract to play for Spanish Primera División team Real Betis.<ref name="goal-betis">{{cite news |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/michaela-abam-real-betis-sign-paris-striker/h1kpgdcwmmdf1nrmhrlzvdso4 |title=Michaela Abam: Real Betis sign Paris striker |date=7 August 2019 |access-date=3 May 2023 |work=Goal |first=Samuel |last=Ahmadu}}</ref> She appeared in 15 league matches, scoring three goals, before competition was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 September 2020, she scored a hat-trick against Hispalis in the pre-season Andalusian Women's Cup quarterfinals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/michaela-abams-hat-trick-leads-real-betis-to-andalusian-cup-semi-final/162ftc0f6vey61s2llh9u4bxl5 |title=Michaela Abam's hat-trick leads Real Betis to Andalusian Cup semi-final |date=24 September 2020 |access-date=3 May 2023 |work=Goal |first=Samual |last=Ahmadu}}</ref> She appeared in five more league matches for Real Betis before leaving the club.<ref name="hc-2021"/>
===Houston Dash, 2021–2022=== In August 2021, Abam signed for the Houston Dash in the NWSL, becoming the first player signed by the Dash who attended a Dash-affiliated youth club.<ref>{{Cite web|last=houstondynamofc|title=Michaela Abam becomes first player from Dynamo {{!}} Dash Youth Club to sign with Houston Dash |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/news/michaela-abam-becomes-first-player-from-dynamo-dash-youth-club-to-sign-with-hous |access-date=18 August 2021 |publisher=Houston Dynamo FC|language=en}}</ref> Her first appearance was on 13 August 2021 against the Washington Spirit, where she scored the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw.<ref name="hc-2021"/><ref>{{cite web |title=National Women's Soccer League Official Site |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/game/houston-dash-vs-washington-spirit-2021-08-13/latest |access-date=18 August 2021 |publisher=National Women's Soccer League }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
On 20 March 2023, the Dash announced that the club had waived Abam.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-dash-announce-updated-2023-roster |title=Houston Dash announce updated 2023 roster |date=20 March 2023 |access-date=3 May 2023 |publisher=Houston Dynamo FC}}</ref>
===Linköping FC, 2023–2026=== On 4 April 2023, Damallsvenskan club Linköping FC announced that it had signed Abam.<ref name="k442-linko"/>
==International career== Abam made her senior debut for Cameroon on 12 November 2018 in a 7–0 friendly win against Zambia, scoring twice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://footy-ghana.com/2018/11/cameroon-hammer-zambia-7-0-in-final-pre-awcon-friendly/|title=Cameroon hammer Zambia 7–0 in final pre-AWCON friendly|date=November 12, 2018|accessdate=May 25, 2019|publisher=Footy-GHANA.com}}</ref> Then, she was called up to compete at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations, but did not make any appearance by problems with her Cameroonian passport.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Fécafoot : Michaela Abam, une négligence coupable|date=23 April 2019 |url=https://www.camfoot.com/actualites/fecafoot-michaela-abam-une-negligence-coupable,29824.html|publisher=Camfoot.com}}</ref> In May 2019, she was named for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
==Career statistics== ===International goals=== ''Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first'' {| class="wikitable" |- ! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- | {{center|1}} || rowspan=2|12 November 2018 || rowspan=2|Stade Municipal (Bingerville), Abidjan, Ivory Coast || rowspan=2|{{fbw|ZAM}} || {{center|'''5'''–0}} || rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |7–0 || rowspan=2|Friendly |- | {{center|2}} || {{center|'''7'''–0}} |}
== Honours == '''West Virginia Mountaineers''' * Big 12 Conference women's soccer tournament: 2014, 2016
'''Individual''' * Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year: 2016
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Liga MX Femenil player|170615}} * {{sports links}} * [https://wvusports.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/michaela-abam/7269 West Virginia Mountaineers profile] * [https://www.linkopingfc.com/spelare/michaela-abam/ Linköping FC profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929100109/https://www.linkopingfc.com/spelare/michaela-abam/ |date=29 September 2023 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180801220918/http://www.skybluefc.com/player/michaela-abam/ Sky Blue FC profile]
{{Cruz Azul (women) squad}} {{Navboxes |title=Cameroon squads |bg=#007A5E |fg=#FCD116 |bordercolor=#CE1126 |list1= {{Cameroon squad 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations}} {{Cameroon squad 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup}} {{Cameroon squad 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations}} }} {{Big 12 Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abam, Michaela}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Cameroonian women's footballers Category:21st-century Cameroonian sportswomen Category:Women's association football forwards Category:Paris FC (women) players Category:Real Betis Féminas players Category:Linköpings FC players Category:Deportivo Toluca F.C. (women) footballers Category:Cruz Azul (women) footballers Category:Première Ligue players Category:Liga F players Category:Liga MX Femenil players Category:Damallsvenskan players Category:Cameroon women's international footballers Category:2019 FIFA Women's World Cup players Category:Cameroonian expatriate women's footballers Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in France Category:Expatriate women's footballers in France Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Spain Category:Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Sweden Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden Category:American women's soccer players Category:Soccer players from Houston Category:African-American soccer players Category:American people of Cameroonian descent Category:West Virginia Mountaineers women's soccer players Category:Gotham FC draft picks Category:National Women's Soccer League players Category:Gotham FC players Category:Houston Dash players Category:American expatriate women's soccer players Category:American expatriate sportspeople in France Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Sweden Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:21st-century African-American sportswomen Category:2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations players Category:2018 Women's Africa Cup of Nations players