Kinga Wangchuk

Kinga Wangchuk
Personal information
Full name Kinga Wangchuk
Date of birth (2002-09-19) 19 September 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Phuntsholing, Bhutan
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Paro
Number 11
Youth career
2015–2019 BFF Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Ugyen Academy
2021–2022 Transport United
2023– Paro 16 (9)
International career
2017 Bhutan U17
2019 Bhutan U20
2023– Bhutan 10 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 September 2024

Kinga Wangchuk (born 19 September 2002) is a Bhutanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Paro FC in the Bhutan Premier League and the Bhutan national team.

Early life

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Raised with four siblings, Kinga's father works at Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited, while his mother is a full-time homemaker. Supported by his parents, he chose to leave 12th grade to pursue a career in football.[1]

Kinga secured a place at the BFF Academy in 2015, when he was 13 years old, after attending Sonamgang Middle Secondary School in Phuntsholing.[1] In 2017, Kinga participated in the 2017 SAFF U-15 Championship held in Nepal. He also managed to score during a 6–0 victory over Sri Lanka U17 in the group-stages.[2]

Club career

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Kinga joined Ugyen Academy FC in 2020, scoring in a 3–1 victory over High Quality United FC in the club's opening game of the 2020 Bhutan Premier League.[3]

He previously played as a guest player for Transport United FC during the 2019 AFC Cup, a club he would later go on to permanently join in 2021.[1] He helped the club win the 2022 BFF President's Cup scoring in the final against Thimphu City FC.[4]

Kinga represented Paro FC as a guest player during both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the AFC Cup.[5][6] He eventually secured a permanent move, helped the club win the 2023 Bhutan Premier League. On 17 November 2024, he scored a goal for the Transport United against Indian club Gokulam Kerala in their 2–1 quarter-final defeat at the 40th edition of Sikkim Gold Cup.[7]

International career

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Kinga represented Bhutan at youth level during both the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers and the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers.[8]

On 22 June 2023, Kinga made his debut for the Bhutan national team during the 2023 SAFF Championship against Maldives.[9]

Personal life

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Kinga has cited Paro FC teammate, Kazuo Honma, as his favourite player.[1]

Career statistics

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International

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As of 8 September 2024.[9]
Bhutan
Year Apps Goals
2023 6 0
2024 4 1
Total 10 1

International goals

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Youth

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Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 20 August 2017 ANFA Complex, Lalitpur, Nepal  Sri Lanka 3–0 6–0 2017 SAFF U-15 Championship
Last updated 20 August 2017

Senior

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Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 September 2024 Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu, Bhutan  Bangladesh 1–0 1–0 Friendly
Last updated 8 September 2024

Honours

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Transport United

  • BFF President's Cup: 2022

Paro

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "KINGA WANGCHUK: Beyond the Jersey No 11". Paro FC Official Website. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Bhutan stroll into semis". The Kathmandu Post. 21 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Ugyen Academy FC begins BPL season with a win". Kuensel Online. 7 August 2020. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Transport United FC ends trophy drought with President's Cup". Kuensel Online. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Paro FC to play Club Valencia today". Kuensel Online. 5 April 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Paro FC take on Machhindra FC in AFC Qualifiers". Kuensel Online. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  7. ^ Gurung, Bijoy (17 November 2024). "40TH GOVERNOR'S GOLD CUP: GOKULAM FC IN SEMIS". The Sikkim Express. Gangtok. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Kinga Wangchuk". Global Sports Archive. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Kinga Wangchuk". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
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