Ex-Chelsea star defects from England to play for rival World Cup country instead | Football | Sport
Carney Chukwuemeka (bottom right) celebrates winning the U19 Euros with England (Image: Getty Images)
An “outstanding” midfielder has defected from England to represent a rival nation at this summer’s World Cup instead. There are less than 100 days until football’s biggest international tournament gets underway in the United States, Canada and Mexico. England, who reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, have been drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
The battle for squad places is intensifying as the tournament rapidly approaches, with central midfield proving particularly congested. The likes of Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice are virtually guaranteed their spots on the plane, while others are looking to force themselves into Thomas Tuchel’s thinking by finishing the season strongly in the coming months.
One player who certainly won’t be in the England squad is Carney Chukwuemeka. Instead, he will represent Austria at the World Cup if he gets the call-up.
The former Chelsea and Aston Villa playmaker, currently at Borussia Dortmund, has now had his nationality change ratified by FIFA. He could make his debut for Austria against Ghana or South Korea later this month.
The 22-year-old had featured for England at youth level and was a member of the team that claimed under-19 Euros glory in 2022, even netting against Israel in the final. He ended the country’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals.
Chukwuemeka represented the Three Lions at four youth levels – under-17, under-18s, under-19s and under-20s – with 23 appearances in total.
Yet he has completed his switch to Austria, managed by former Manchester United head coach Ralf Rangnick, because he was born in Vienna, Austria. He moved to England and lived in Northampton as a child.
Whilst he could also have represented Nigeria via his parents, the Super Eagles failed to qualify for this World Cup. Austria are in Group J and face Jordan, Argentina and Algeria in a group they will back themselves to progress from.
Carney Chukwuemeka is now at Borussia Dortmund (Image: Getty Images)
Chukwuemeka’s decision owes to the fact he has never earned a senior cap for the Three Lions. He was never called up to the senior squad and his last involvement for England was being included in the under-21s squad in March 2023, though he had to pull out due to injury. That means he has never played for the under-21s.
Still only 22, his Premier League performances a few years ago showcased his considerable potential, with Paul Merson labelling him ‘outstanding’ following his first Aston Villa start against Brentford in August 2021.
“The young kid, Chukwuemeka, was very good,” said Merson on Sky Sports. “He has got a bright future. I don’t see a lot of the kid’s football. “First half, he was outstanding. He was gliding across the pitch. 17 years old, you are playing in the Premier League in the centre of midfield. I mean, that’s a big ask.
“He will be an absolute star. He glides across the pitch. He is a nice size. He gets on the ball. He looks for it and makes runs without the ball. I think Villa fans going away will definitely be talking about him.”
Since joining Dortmund last summer, Chukwuemeka has made 30 first-team appearances, scoring three goals for the Bundesliga giants, although the bulk of his game time has come as a substitute.
