Kathmandu, July 17 : Nepali women’s national football team captain and star striker Sabitra Bhandari ‘Sambaa’ has officially parted ways with French club En Avant Guingamp. She announced her departure through social media on Thursday.
On Facebook, Sabitra wrote:
“To my incredible EA Guingamp family, Thank you for the amazing journey. I’m proud of the progress we made together during these two seasons and your support has meant the world to me. As we part our ways for a fresh start, I will always be grateful for the support the club and the supporters have given me. I will always be rooting for you.”
During her time with Guingamp, Sabitra played 18 matches last season, scoring 6 goals. She netted a memorable hat-trick against Saint-Étienne in the final match of the season and also scored twice against the powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Notably, Sabitra is the first Nepali player to score in a top-tier European league.
Following her departure from France, Sambaa has signed with Wellington Phoenix, a club based in New Zealand that competes in Australia’s A-League Women. The club officially confirmed her signing on Thursday. She has signed a two-year contract with the team.
Sabitra is Nepal’s all-time leading goal scorer in women’s international football, having scored 66 goals in 60 appearances for the national team. She also previously starred in the Indian Women’s Super League, where she scored an astonishing 60 goals in 24 matches, leading her team to three consecutive league titles.
