The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated Super Eagles and Boavista defender Chidozie Awaziem on his 24th birthday.
The NFF wrote on their verified Twitter handle:”Happy birthday to @NGSuperEagles defender, @AwaziemC.”
Born in Enugu, Awaziem joined Portuguese giant Porto in 2014, where he spent his last year as a junior and won the corresponding league title.
His senior debut was made with the B team, in the Segunda Liga and on 27 January 2016, aged 19, Awaziem appeared in his first competitive game with the main squad, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 0–2 away loss against C.D. Feirense in the Taça da Liga.
His maiden appearance in the Primeira Liga took place on 12 February, as he again started in a 2–1 win at S.L. Benfica due to an injury crisis to the defensive sector.
For the 2017–18 season , Awaziem was loaned to French club FC Nantes and his first match in Ligue 1 took place on 6 August 2017, when he came on as a 74th-minute substitute in a 3-0 loss away to Lille.
In January 2019, Awaziem joined Rizespor on loan until the end of the campaign. On 15 August, in the same situation, he moved to Leganés.
Still owned by Porto, Awaziem signed a temporary deal with Boavista F.C. – also in Portugal and the city of Porto – ahead of 2020–21 , with the obligation of a permanent four-year contract on 30 June 2021.
Aged 19, Awaziem was called up to the Super Eagles for friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg, on 27 and 31 May 2016.
He made his senior debut on 1 June 2017, starting in a 3–0 win over Togo in Paris in another exhibition game.
Awaziem was included in Gernot Rohr ‘s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, being an unused player as the tournament ended in group stage exit.
He was also picked for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with the Eagles finishing third.
By James Agberebi
