*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 19, 2022
Handwalla Bwana (born June 25, 1999)[1] is a Somali professional footballer who plays as a winger.
Early life
Bwana was born a Somali refugee in Mombasa, Kenya, spending the first six years of his childhood at a refugee camp in Kakuma in northwestern Kenya.[2] His family resettled in the United States in 2010, initially in Atlanta, but later in Seattle, where he attended Ballard High School.[3] Bwana said "I fell in love with the game because my dad played it. My dad was a professional in Somalia".[4] Describing how his childhood shaped him as a player, Bwana has stated that "playing with a garbage ball...made me better with my feet".[5]
Bwana was signed by the Sounders MLS side as a Homegrown Player on January 11, 2018.[8] Bwana made his debut for the club against expansion side Los Angeles FC as a substitute on March 4, 2018, an appearance which included a shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar.[9] He started Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal tie against Mexican club Chivas three days later,[10] but did not appear in the second leg in Guadalajara, as Seattle lost 3–1 on aggregate. Bwana started his first MLS game against FC Dallas on March 18, 2018, a 3–0 defeat.[11] His first goal was on May 9, 2018, the game winner against Toronto FC,[12] and scored again a week later against Orlando City SC.[13]
The Sounders traded Bwana to Nashville SC on October 21, 2020, in exchange for Jimmy Medranda and $225,000 of General Allocation Money.[14]
On January 10, 2023, Bwana and Nashville mutually agreed to part ways.[16] The following day, the player officially joined USL Championship side Charleston Battery on a free transfer.[17] After missing the entire season due to injury, he left Charleston following the 2023 season.[18]
