Annabelle Chukwu

Last updated
Annabelle Chukwu
Annabelle Chukwu (cropped).jpg
Chukwu with Notre Dame in 2024
Personal information
Full name Chinonyerem Annabelle Chukwu
Date of birth (2007-02-08) February 8, 2007 (age 17)
Place of birth Gravesend, England
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
2017–2022 Ottawa South United
2022– NDC Ontario
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2024– Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2 (1)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023– NDC Ontario 24 (12)
International career
2022 Canada U15 2+ (1)
2022– Canada U17 10+ (11+)
2023– Canada U20 11 (12)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 4, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 3, 2024

Chinonyerem Annabelle Chukwu (born February 8, 2007) is a soccer player who plays for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Born in England, she represents Canada at international level.

Contents

Early life

Chukwu was born in England and moved to Ottawa, Ontario in Canada in 2016. [1] In 2017, she began playing youth soccer with Ottawa South United, [2] after being spotted playing in a school soccer tournament and being invited to try out for the team. [3] In 2021, she helped OSU win the U-14 Girls OPDL Gary Miller Charity Shield. [4] In August 2022, she joined the NDC Ontario program. [5]

College career

In November 2023, Chukwu committed to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2024 to play for the women's soccer team. [6] On August 15, 2024, she scored her first collegiate goal in the season opener against Michigan State Spartans. [7]

Club career

In 2023, she began playing with NDC Ontario in League1 Ontario. [8] On July 16, 2023, Chukwu scored her first five goals in the league, scoring five goals in a 10–1 victory over ProStars FC. [9] In 2024, she was named a Second Team All-Star. [10]

International career

Chukwu was born in England, to a father from Nigeria, and raised in Canada. [1]

In 2022, she was named to the Canada U15 team for the 2022 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship. [1] In her first game on August 1, she scored against Jamaica in a 5–0 victory. [11] In the next match against Puerto Rico, she earned an assist on a goal by her twin sister, Isabelle. [12]

She was then named to the Canada U17 team for the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. She made her debut on October 12 against France U17 coming on as a substitute and scored her first goal to help the team earn a 1–1 draw. [13] [14]

She was then called up to the Canada senior team for the first time, at age 15, for friendlies against Brazil in November 2022. [15] [16]

In 2023, she was named to the Canada U20 team for the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. [17] She scored twice in extra time in the bronze medal game to help Canada defeat Costa Rica U20 5–3, winning the bronze and qualifying the squad for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. [18] [19] In September, she earned another senior team callup for the CONCACAF Olympic qualification playoffs, following injury to Deanne Rose. [20]

On September 3, 2024, she set the Canada Soccer record for most goals scored for national youth teams with her 28th career goal (in 34 matches). [21]

Personal life

Chukwu has a twin sister, Isabelle Chukwu, who also plays for the Canadian youth national team. [12]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Annabelle Chukwu at the Canadian Soccer Association
  2. Diamandas, Ethan (December 15, 2021). "Ottawa's star soccer sisters dominating Ontario youth ranks". Ottawa Sportspages. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  3. Colley, Mark (November 18, 2022). "Ottawa strikers Larisey, Chukwu take varied paths to Canadian senior women's soccer team". Ottawa Sportspages. Archived from the original on November 25, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  4. "Chukwu sisters combine for three goals to lead OSU to U-14 OPDL Gary Miller Charity Shield win". Ontario Soccer Association . November 1, 2021. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  5. Colley, Mark (June 22, 2022). "'This is success': Five OSU players headed to national development centre in Toronto". Ottawa Sportspages. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  6. Cleary, Martin (November 14, 2023). "Prolific soccer scorer Annabelle Chukwu heading to University of Notre Dame". Ottawa Sportspages.
  7. "Irish Stopped by Spartans in Season Opener". Notre Dame Fighting Irish . August 15, 2024.
  8. "Annabelle Chukwu 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario. Archived from the original on 2023-06-26. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  9. "Weekly Rewind". League1 Ontario. July 18, 2023. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  10. "Premier Division stars celebrated in 2024 awards". League1 Ontario . November 1, 2024.
  11. "Canada blanks Jamaica 5–0 to open play at CONCACAF U-15 Women's Championship". Toronto Star . August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Twin sisters combine on goal as Canada downs Puerto Rico at CONCACAF U-15 tourney". TSN . August 2, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  13. Abayomi, Tosin (October 12, 2022). "FIFA U-17 WWC: 15-year-old Chukwu inspires Canada to 1–1 draw against France". Pulse. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  14. "Chukwu goal helps Canada earn point in opener vs. France". CONCACAF . October 12, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  15. "Canada coach Bev Priestman calls up three youngsters for Brazil women's friendlies". Sportsnet . October 31, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  16. "Allen, Chukwu and Ottey earn first Canada call ups". Canadian Soccer Association . November 6, 2022. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  17. "Annabelle Chukwu, 16, could be Canada's next great soccer talent". CBC Sports . June 9, 2023. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  18. Cleary, Martin (June 5, 2023). "High Achievers Weekend Wrap: Annabelle Chukwu scores twice in extra time, sends Canada to FIFA U20 World Cup". Ottawa Sportspages. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  19. Hendry, Glenn. "Whitby's Smith bags equalizer, Chukwu scores twice in ET; Canada qualifies for U20 World Cup". inDurham. Archived from the original on 2023-06-26. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  20. "CWNT will be without Riviere, Rose for Olympic qualifiers vs. Jamaica". Sportsnet . September 19, 2023. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  21. "Chukwu breaks Canada's youth international goalscoring record". Canadian Soccer Association . September 3, 2024.