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Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze (born 22 May 1999) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Villarreal and the Nigeria national team as a winger.

Samuel Chukwueze

Chukwueze with Villarreal in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze
Date of birth	(1999-05-22) 22 May 1999 (age 23)
Place of birth	Umuahia, Nigeria
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s)	Winger
Club information
Current team	Villarreal
Number	11
Youth career
	Future Hope
	New Generation Academy
2012–2017	Diamond Football Academy
2017–2018	Villarreal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018	Villarreal B	20	(4)
2018–	Villarreal	131	(15)
National team‡
2015	Nigeria U17	7	(3)
2018–	Nigeria	25	(4)
Honours Representing  Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations 2019 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:57, 9 November 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:08, 17 November 2022 (UTC)

Early life and education

Chukwueze was born in Umuahia, Abia state. He is of Igbo descent and was brought up in a Christian family with a younger brother and a younger sister. He attended Government College Umuahia and Evangel Secondary School. He started playing football at the age of 8 and he admired Jay-Jay Okocha as his football idol growing up. He has been mentored by Hon. Victor Apugo whom he saw as a father, as stated in his earlier interview.[2][3]

Club career

Born in Amaokwe Ugba Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State,[4] Chukwueze joined Villarreal CF's prolific youth setup in 2017, from local side Diamond Football Academy.[5] After being initially assigned to the club's Juvenil A squad, he made his senior debut with the reserves on 15 April 2018, coming on as a second-half substitute for Sergio Lozano in a 1–1 Segunda División B away draw against CE Sabadell FC.

Chukwueze scored his first senior goal on 20 May 2018, netting his team's second in a 3–1 away defeat of Bilbao Athletic. He contributed with two goals in 11 appearances during his first season, as his side missed out promotion in the play-offs.

Chukwueze made his first-team debut on 20 September 2018, replacing Nicola Sansone in a 2–2 home draw against Rangers, for the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League.[6] He also made his league debut on 5 November 2018, playing a 90-minute full play in a 1–1 home draw against Levante, for the 2018–19 La Liga.

In April 2019, he won the Nigeria Football Federation's 2018 Young Player of the Year award.[7]

On 12 April 2022, in the second leg of the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League quarter-final away to Bayern Munich, Chukwueze scored the equaliser for 1–1 in the 88th minute, helping Villarreal progress to the semi-finals of the tournament.[8]

International career

After playing for Nigeria at under-17 level, he received his first call-up to the senior team in October 2018.[9] He made his debut for the Nigerian senior team on 20 November 2018 as a starter in a 0–0 friendly draw against Uganda.[10][11]

In May 2019, Chukwueze was invited to represent Nigeria's senior team at the Africa Cup of Nations and the Under-20 team at the Under-20 World Cup. However, Villarreal said he could only play in one of the tournaments.[12] He ultimately decided to take part with Nigerian's senior squad for Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Egypt[13] and scored his first senior goal in Nigeria's 2–1 win over South Africa in the quarter finals.[14]

Playing style

He has been compared to Arjen Robben because of his skillset.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 November 2022[16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Copa del Rey		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Villarreal B	2017–18	Segunda División B	11	2	—		—		11	2
	2018–19		9	2	—		—		9	2
	Total		20	4	—		—		20	4
Villarreal	2018–19	La Liga	26	5	3	2	9[lower-alpha 1]	1	38	8
	2019–20		37	3	4	1	—		41	4
	2020–21		28	4	1	0	11[lower-alpha 1]	1	40	5
	2021–22		27	3	2	2	9[lower-alpha 2]	2	38	7
	2022–23		13	0	1	2	7[lower-alpha 3]	3	21	5
	Total		131	15	11	7	36	7	178	29
Career total			151	19	11	7	36	7	198	33

International

As of match played 17 November 2022[17]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Nigeria	2018	1	0
	2019	12	2
	2020	4	1
	2021	2	0
	2022	6	1
Total		25	4

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Chukwueze goal.

List of international goals scored by Samuel Chukwueze[17]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 July 2019	Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt	South Africa	1–0	2–1	2019 Africa Cup of Nations
2	17 November 2019	Setsoto Stadium, Maseru, Lesotho	Lesotho	2–1	4–2	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3	13 November 2020	Ogbe Stadium, Benin City, Nigeria	Sierra Leone	4–0	4–4	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4	15 January 2022	Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua, Cameroon	Sudan	1–0	3–1	2021 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Villarreal

• UEFA Europa League: 2020–21[18]

Nigeria U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: 2015[19]

Individual

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: Bronze Boot: 2015[19]
• DFA Most Influential Player of the Year: 2016[20]
• MCL Cup Most Valuable Player: 2016[21]

References

External links

• Samu Chukwueze at BDFutbol
• Samu Chukwueze at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
• Samu Chukwueze at Soccerway

На других языках

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[de] Samuel Chukwueze

Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze (* 22. Mai 1999 in Ikwuano, Abia) ist ein nigerianischer Fußballspieler, der für den FC Villarreal als linker Flügelspieler spielt.

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- [en] Samuel Chukwueze

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[es] Samu Chukwueze

Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze (Ikwuano, Nigeria, 22 de mayo de 1999), conocido deportivamente como Samu Chukwueze, es un futbolista nigeriano que juega como centrocampista en el Villarreal C. F. de la Primera División de España.[2]

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[fr] Samuel Chukwueze

Samuel Chukwueze, né le 22 mai 1999 à Umuahia au Nigeria, est un footballeur international nigerian qui évolue au poste d'ailier à Villarreal CF.

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[it] Samuel Chukwueze

Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze (Ugba-Ibeku, 22 maggio 1999) è un calciatore nigeriano, attaccante o ala del Villarreal e della nazionale nigeriana.

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[ru] Чуквуезе, Самуэль

Самуэль Чимеренка Чуквуезе (англ. Samuel Chimerenka Chukwueze; родился 22 мая 1999 года, Иквуано, Нигерия) — нигерийский футболист, вингер клуба «Вильярреал» и сборной Нигерии.

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