Annabelle Chukwu

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Annabelle Chukwu

| fullname = Chinonyerem Annabelle Chukwu

| image = Annabelle Chukwu (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Chukwu with Notre Dame in 2024

| height = {{height|m=1.68}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|2007|2|8}}

| birth_place = Gravesend, England

| position = Forward

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2017–2022

| youthclubs1 = Ottawa South United

| youthyears2 = 2022–

| youthclubs2 = NDC Ontario

| collegeyears1 = 2024–

| college1 = Notre Dame Fighting Irish

| collegecaps1 = 16

| collegegoals1 = 3

| years1 = 2023–

| clubs1 = NDC Ontario

| caps1 = 24

| goals1 = 12

| nationalyears1 = 2022

| nationalteam1 = Canada U15

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2022–

| nationalteam2 = Canada U17

| nationalcaps2 = 10

| nationalgoals2 = 11

| nationalyears3 = 2023–

| nationalteam3 = Canada U20

| nationalcaps3 = 15

| nationalgoals3 = 20

| pcupdate = September 4, 2024

| ntupdate = May 29, 2025

}}

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.

Early life

Chukwu was born in England and moved to Ottawa, Ontario in Canada in 2016.{{Canada Soccer player|id=56019}} In 2017, she began playing youth soccer with Ottawa South United,{{cite web|url=https://ottawasportspages.ca/2021/12/15/ottawas-star-soccer-sisters-dominating-ontario-youth-ranks/|title=Ottawa's star soccer sisters dominating Ontario youth ranks|work=Ottawa Sportspages|date=December 15, 2021|first=Ethan|last=Diamandas|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014806/https://ottawasportspages.ca/2021/12/15/ottawas-star-soccer-sisters-dominating-ontario-youth-ranks/|url-status=live}} after being spotted playing in a school soccer tournament and being invited to try out for the team.{{cite web|url=https://ottawasportspages.ca/2022/11/18/osus-larisey-chukwu-get-call-up-to-senior-womens-national-team/|title=Ottawa strikers Larisey, Chukwu take varied paths to Canadian senior women's soccer team|date=November 18, 2022|work=Ottawa Sportspages|first=Mark|last=Colley|access-date=November 25, 2022|archive-date=November 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125131901/https://ottawasportspages.ca/2022/11/18/osus-larisey-chukwu-get-call-up-to-senior-womens-national-team/|url-status=live}} In 2021, she helped OSU win the U-14 Girls OPDL Gary Miller Charity Shield.{{cite web|url=https://www.ontariosoccer.net/news_article/show/1191850|title=Chukwu sisters combine for three goals to lead OSU to U-14 OPDL Gary Miller Charity Shield win|date=November 1, 2021|work=Ontario Soccer Association|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014806/https://www.ontariosoccer.net/news_article/show/1191850|url-status=live}} In August 2022, she joined the NDC Ontario program.{{Cite web|url=https://ottawasportspages.ca/2022/06/22/this-is-success-five-osu-players-headed-to-national-development-centre-in-toronto/|title='This is success': Five OSU players headed to national development centre in Toronto|first=Mark|last=Colley|date=June 22, 2022|work=Ottawa Sportspages|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014805/https://ottawasportspages.ca/2022/06/22/this-is-success-five-osu-players-headed-to-national-development-centre-in-toronto/|url-status=live}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://ottawasportspages.ca/2023/11/14/high-achievers-prolific-soccer-scorer-annabelle-chukwu-heading-to-university-of-notre-dame/|title=Prolific soccer scorer Annabelle Chukwu heading to University of Notre Dame|date=November 14, 2023|first=Martin|last=Cleary|work=Ottawa Sportspages}} On August 15, 2024, she scored her first collegiate goal in the season opener against Michigan State Spartans.{{cite web|url=https://fightingirish.com/irish-stopped-by-spartans-in-season-opener/|title=Irish Stopped by Spartans in Season Opener|date=August 15, 2024|work=Notre Dame Fighting Irish}}

Club career

In 2023, she began playing with NDC Ontario in League1 Ontario.{{Cite web|title=Annabelle Chukwu 2023 L1O Stats|work=League1 Ontario|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/66538743?subseason=875808|access-date=2023-06-26|archive-date=2023-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626122314/https://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/66538743?subseason=875808|url-status=live}} On July 16, 2023, Chukwu scored her first five goals in the league, scoring five goals in a 10–1 victory over ProStars FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1279446|title=Weekly Rewind|date=July 18, 2023|work=League1 Ontario|access-date=July 19, 2023|archive-date=July 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719192454/https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1279446|url-status=live}} In 2024, she was named a Second Team All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://league1ontario.com/article/premier-division-stars-celebrated-in-2024-awards/|title=Premier Division stars celebrated in 2024 awards|date=November 1, 2024|work=League1 Ontario}}

International career

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

In 2022, she was named to the Canada U15 team for the 2022 CONCACAF Girls' U-15 Championship. In her first game on August 1, she scored against Jamaica in a 5–0 victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2022/08/01/canada-blanks-jamaica-5-0-to-open-play-at-concacaf-u-15-womens-championship.html|title=Canada blanks Jamaica 5–0 to open play at CONCACAF U-15 Women's Championship|date=August 1, 2022|work=Toronto Star|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014804/https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2022/08/01/canada-blanks-jamaica-5-0-to-open-play-at-concacaf-u-15-womens-championship.html|url-status=live}} In the next match against Puerto Rico, she earned an assist on a goal by her twin sister, Isabelle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/twin-sisters-combine-on-goal-as-canada-downs-puerto-rico-at-concacaf-u-15-tourney-1.1831916|title=Twin sisters combine on goal as Canada downs Puerto Rico at CONCACAF U-15 tourney|date=August 2, 2022|work=TSN|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014806/https://www.tsn.ca/twin-sisters-combine-on-goal-as-canada-downs-puerto-rico-at-concacaf-u-15-tourney-1.1831916|url-status=live}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.pulse.ng/sports/football/annabelle-chukwu-inspires-canada-to-1-1-draw-against-france/4732feg|title=FIFA U-17 WWC: 15-year-old Chukwu inspires Canada to 1–1 draw against France|first=Tosin|last=Abayomi|date=October 12, 2022|work=Pulse|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014805/https://www.pulse.ng/sports/football/annabelle-chukwu-inspires-canada-to-1-1-draw-against-france/4732feg|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.concacaf.com/under-17s-women/article/chukwu-goal-helps-canada-earn-point-in-opener-vs-france/|title=Chukwu goal helps Canada earn point in opener vs. France|date=October 12, 2022|work=CONCACAF|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014804/https://www.concacaf.com/under-17s-women/article/chukwu-goal-helps-canada-earn-point-in-opener-vs-france/|url-status=live}}

She was then called up to the Canada senior team for the first time, at age 15, for friendlies against Brazil in November 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canada-coach-bev-priestman-calls-up-three-youngsters-for-brazil-womens-friendlies/|title=Canada coach Bev Priestman calls up three youngsters for Brazil women's friendlies|date=October 31, 2022|work=Sportsnet|access-date=November 4, 2022|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104014804/https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canada-coach-bev-priestman-calls-up-three-youngsters-for-brazil-womens-friendlies/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.canadasoccer.com/news/allen-chukwu-and-ottey-earn-first-canada-call-ups/|title=Allen, Chukwu and Ottey earn first Canada call ups|date=November 6, 2022|work=Canadian Soccer Association|access-date=November 11, 2022|archive-date=December 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223112616/https://www.canadasoccer.com/news/allen-chukwu-and-ottey-earn-first-canada-call-ups/|url-status=live}}

In 2023, she was named to the Canada U20 team for the 2023 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2225510979601|title=Annabelle Chukwu, 16, could be Canada's next great soccer talent|date=June 9, 2023|work=CBC Sports|access-date=June 26, 2023|archive-date=June 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626122316/https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2225510979601|url-status=live}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://ottawasportspages.ca/2023/06/05/high-achievers-weekend-wrap-annabelle-chukwu-scores-twice-in-extra-time-sends-canada-to-fifa-u20-world-cup/|title=High Achievers Weekend Wrap: Annabelle Chukwu scores twice in extra time, sends Canada to FIFA U20 World Cup|date=June 5, 2023|first=Martin|last=Cleary|work=Ottawa Sportspages|access-date=June 26, 2023|archive-date=June 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626122315/https://ottawasportspages.ca/2023/06/05/high-achievers-weekend-wrap-annabelle-chukwu-scores-twice-in-extra-time-sends-canada-to-fifa-u20-world-cup/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.insauga.com/whitbys-smith-bags-equalizer-chukwa-scores-twice-in-et-canada-qualifies-for-u20-world-cup/|title=Whitby's Smith bags equalizer, Chukwu scores twice in ET; Canada qualifies for U20 World Cup|first=Glenn|last=Hendry|work=inDurham|access-date=2023-06-26|archive-date=2023-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626122316/https://www.insauga.com/whitbys-smith-bags-equalizer-chukwa-scores-twice-in-et-canada-qualifies-for-u20-world-cup/|url-status=live}} In September, she earned another senior team callup for the CONCACAF Olympic qualification playoffs, following injury to Deanne Rose.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/cwnt-will-be-without-riviere-rose-for-olympic-qualifiers-vs-jamaica/|title=CWNT will be without Riviere, Rose for Olympic qualifiers vs. Jamaica|website=Sportsnet|date=September 19, 2023|access-date=September 27, 2023|archive-date=September 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927004838/https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/cwnt-will-be-without-riviere-rose-for-olympic-qualifiers-vs-jamaica/|url-status=live}}

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).{{cite web|url=https://canadasoccer.com/news/chukwu-breaks-canadas-youth-international-goalscoring-record/|title=Chukwu breaks Canada's youth international goalscoring record|date=September 3, 2024|work=Canadian Soccer Association}}

On June 8, 2025, Chukwu scored the winning goal in the 120+2 minute in a 3-2 victory over Mexico U20 to win the 2025 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship.{{cite web|url=https://canadiansoccerdaily.com/2025/06/08/chukwus-122nd-minute-goal-wins-concacaf-u20/|title=Annabelle Chukwu’s 122nd-minute Canada goal wins CONCACAF U20 Championship for CanW20|date=June 8, 2025|work=Canadian Soccer Daily}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/chukwus-wonder-goal-the-difference-as-canada-women-crowned-concacaf-u-20-champions/article_ac90a430-9084-516f-b540-f109cb5cb5b0.html|title=Chukwu's wonder goal the difference as Canada crowned CONCACAF U-20 champions|date=June 8, 2025|work=Toronto Star}}