Chris Willock
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Chris Willock
| image = Chris Willock 2015.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Willock playing for Arsenal U19 in 2015
| fullname = Christopher Anthony Willock{{cite web|title=Chris Willock - Mallorca Futbol|url=http://www.mallorcafutbol.com/equipo.php?id=12|publisher=Mallorca Futbol|access-date=16 April 2016}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|1|31|df=y}}{{cite web|title=Chris Willock|url=http://www.11v11.com/players/chris-willock-251083/|publisher=11v11|access-date=16 April 2016}}
| birth_place = Waltham Forest, England
| height = 1.78 m
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Cardiff City
| clubnumber = 16
| youthyears1 = 2003–2016
| youthclubs1 = Arsenal
| years1 = 2016–2017
| clubs1 = Arsenal
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017–2020
| clubs2 = Benfica B
| caps2 = 64
| goals2 = 14
| years3 = 2019–2020
| clubs3 = → West Bromwich Albion (loan)
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2020
| clubs4 = → Huddersfield Town (loan)
| caps4 = 14
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2020–2024
| clubs5 = Queens Park Rangers
| caps5 = 140
| goals5 = 20
| years6 = 2024–
| clubs6 = Cardiff City
| caps6 = 32
| goals6 = 2
| nationalyears1 = 2013–2014
| nationalteam1 = England U16
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2014–2015
| nationalteam2 = England U17
| nationalcaps2 = 18
| nationalgoals2 = 2
| nationalyears3 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam3 = England U18
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2016–2017
| nationalteam4 = England U19
| nationalcaps4 = 10
| nationalgoals4 = 3
| nationalyears5 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam5 = England U20
| nationalcaps5 = 9
| nationalgoals5 = 1
| club-update = 5 May 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 10 September 2018
}}
Christopher Anthony Willock (born 31 January 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for {{English football updater|CardiffC}} club Cardiff City.
Club career
=Arsenal=
Born in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Willock joined Arsenal's academy when he was five years old.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHwuWM2dM_M|title=Introducing Chris Willock|website=Youtube.com}} He, then aged 16, appeared for the Arsenal first team in a pre-season friendly in 2014 when Arsène Wenger described him as a "very interesting player".{{cite news|last1=Bleaney|first1=Rob|title=Arsène Wenger identifies 16-year-old Chris Willock as next Arsenal star|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/21/arsene-wenger-16-chris-willock-arsenal-boreham-wood-manchester-united|access-date=9 July 2017|work=The Guardian|date=21 July 2014}} At the end of the 2015–16 season, he scored and provided two assists in a victory over Aston Villa in the U21 Premier League play-off final held at the Emirates Stadium.{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/2016/05/10/arsenals-chris-willock-gives-masterclass-as-under-21s-are-promoted-to-division-one-5873565/|title=Arsenal's Chris Willock gives masterclass as Under-21s are promoted to Division One|website=Metro.co.uk|date=10 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal.com/academy/players/christopher-willock|title=Christopher Willock: Profile|website=Arsenal.com|access-date=2016-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029083736/http://www.arsenal.com/academy/players/christopher-willock|archive-date=2016-10-29|url-status=dead}} He made his first team debut on 20 September 2016 against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/09/20/england/league-cup/nottingham-forest-fc/arsenal-fc/2347338/|title=Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal - 20 September 2016 - Soccerway|website=soccerway.com|access-date=2016-09-22}}
=Benfica=
On 30 June 2017, Willock signed a five-year contract with Portuguese champions Benfica.{{cite news|title=Chris Willock joins Benfica|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/chris-willock-joins-benfica|website=Arsenal F.C.|access-date=1 July 2017}}{{cite news|date=2 July 2017|title=Chris Willock: "Estou muito entusiasmado"|trans-title=Chris Willock: "I am very excited"|url=http://www.slbenfica.pt/30/news/info/2xr2V7h44kiyymGT0b_IPw|language=Portuguese|website=S.L. Benfica|access-date=3 July 2017|archive-date=4 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704002619/http://www.slbenfica.pt/30/news/info/2xr2V7h44kiyymGT0b_IPw|url-status=dead}} He made his Benfica debut with the reserve team in a LigaPro match against Varzim on 23 August 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.slbenfica.pt/en-us/agora/noticias/2017_2018/08/23/benfica-b-estreia-oficial-de-willock/|title=Benfica B: Willock's debut}}
==West Bromwich Albion (loan)==
On 8 August 2019, Willock joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan with options to review the agreement in January; however, he did not make a single appearance for West Brom in the four months he was there.{{cite news|url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2019/august/willock-arrives-at-the-hawthorns/|title=Willock arrives at The Hawthorns|publisher=West Bromwich Albion FC|date=8 August 2019|access-date=8 August 2019}}
==Huddersfield Town (loan)==
After struggling to break into the first team at West Brom, Willock joined Huddersfield Town on 31 January 2020. He went on to score 2 goals for the club with one of those being against West Brom, the team he had just been loaned at.{{cite news|url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2020/january/loan-chris-willock-arrives-from-benfica/|title=LOAN: CHRIS WILLOCK ARRIVES FROM BENFICA!|publisher=Huddersfield Town AFC|date=31 January 2020|access-date=31 January 2020}}
=Queens Park Rangers=
On 5 October 2020, Willock joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers for £750,000 on a three-year deal with an option for a further year.{{cite web|url=https://www.htfc.co.uk/news/club-news/chris-willock-completes-qpr-switch/|title=Chris Willock completes QPR switch|website=www.qpr.co.uk|date=5 October 2020}} He scored his first goal for QPR in a 1–0 win over Cardiff City on 20 January 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55642314 |title=Cardiff 0-1 QPR |date=20 January 2020|publisher=BBC|accessdate=21 January 2021 }} On 10 December 2021, Willock was awarded the EFL Championship Player of the Month award for November 2021 after scoring three and assisting the other three of his side's six goals in the month. Willock's manager Mark Warburton was awarded the league's Manager of the Month award also. Willock ended the 2021–22 season with the Supporters' Player of the Year, Ray Jones Players' Player of the Year and Junior Hoops' Player of the Year awards. {{cite web|url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/videos/features/chris-willock-named-qpr-supporters-player-of-the-year-280422/|title=Chris Willock named QPR Supporters' Player of the Year|website=www.qpr.co.uk|date=5 May 2022|accessdate=10 May 2022}}
The club exercised their contract extension for Willock at the end of the 2022–23 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/club-news/retained-list-100523/|title=Amos among six players released|website=www.qpr.co.uk|date=11 May 2023|accessdate=12 May 2023}}
=Cardiff City=
On 12 July 2024, following the expiration of his contract at Queens Park Rangers, Willock joined fellow Championship side Cardiff City on a three-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/chris-willock-bluebird|title=Chris Willock is a Bluebird!|website=www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk|date=12 July 2024|accessdate=12 July 2024}}
Personal life
Willock has two brothers, Matty and Joe, who are also footballers. All three brothers shared a pitch when Manchester United played a reserve game against Arsenal in May 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-news-willock-pogba-13766528|title = What Man Utd player Paul Pogba said to loan star when he took squad number|date = 16 October 2017}} Willock is of Montserratian descent.{{cite web|url=https://www.foradejogo.net/player.php?player=199801310005|title=ForaDeJogo.net - Chris Willock (Christopher Anthony Willock)|website=ForaDeJogo}}
Career statistics
{{updated|3 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Arsenal
|2016–17{{Cite web|title=Chris Willock {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Queen's Park Rangers {{!}} Season 2016/2017 {{!}} Soccer Base|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=85144&season_id=149|access-date=2021-05-10|website=www.soccerbase.com}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Benfica B
|2017–18 |30 | 3 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 2018–19
|Liga Portugal 2 |34 | 11 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 11 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!64 | 14 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 64 | 14 | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion (loan)
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| Huddersfield Town (loan)
|2019–20{{Cite web|title=Chris Willock {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Queen's Park Rangers {{!}} Season 2019/2020 {{!}} Soccer Base|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=85144&season_id=152|access-date=2021-05-10|website=www.soccerbase.com}} |Championship |14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 2 | ||
| rowspan="5"|Queens Park Rangers
|2020–21{{Cite web|title=Chris Willock {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Queen's Park Rangers {{!}} Season 2020/2021 {{!}} Soccer Base|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=85144&season_id=153|access-date=2021-05-10|website=www.soccerbase.com}} |Championship |38 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 38 | 3 | ||
| 2021–22
|Championship |35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 38 | 7 | ||
| 2022–23
|Championship |28 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 6 | ||
| 2023–24
|Championship |39 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 39 | 4 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!140 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 144 | 20 | ||
| Cardiff City
|Championship |32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 2 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!250 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 258 | 38 |
Honours
Arsenal Youth
Individual
- UEFA European U-17 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2015{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/under17/season=2015/technical-report/uefa-technical-team/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150729224331/http://www.uefa.com/under17/season=2015/technical-report/uefa-technical-team/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 July 2015|title=Under-17 - Technical report - Team of the Tournament|website=UEFA|date=June 2015|access-date=12 March 2019}}
- EFL Championship Player of the Month: November 2021{{Cite web|title=Sky Bet EFL Manager and Player of the Month: November winners!|url=https://www.efl.com/news/2021/december/sky-bet-efl-manager-and-player-of-the-month-november-winners/|access-date=2021-12-10|website=www.efl.com|language=en-gb}}
- Queens Park Rangers Supporters' Player of the Year: 2021–22
- Queens Park Rangers Players' Player of the Year: 2021–22
- Junior Hoops' Player of the Year: 2021–22
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{ForaDeJogo}}
- {{Soccerway}}
{{Cardiff City F.C. squad}}
{{Queens Park Rangers F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willock, Chris}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Waltham Forest
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:English people of Montserratian descent
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:S.L. Benfica B players
Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players
Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
Category:Liga Portugal 2 players
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal