Chidozie Awaziem Bio
Chidozie Collins Awaziem is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Ligue 1 club FC Nantes and the Nigeria national team. Born on 1 January 1997 in Enugu, Nigeria, he stands at 192 cm tall and has built a career across European leagues through a steady flow of loan moves from FC Porto.
Awaziem came through the youth system at FC Porto, made his senior debut with the reserve side in the Segunda Liga, and gradually worked his way into the first team. Since then he has gained experience in France, Turkey, Spain, Croatia, Portugal, and the United States, while also representing Nigeria at senior international level.
Early Life and Background
Chidozie Collins Awaziem was born in Enugu, a city in southeastern Nigeria known for producing athletes across multiple sports. Growing up in Enugu gave him an early grounding in football, the most popular sport in the country, and shaped his decision to pursue the game professionally.
As a teenager, Awaziem attracted attention from European scouts and moved abroad to continue his development. He joined FC Porto in 2014, spending his final year as a junior in Portugal, where he won the youth league title with the club’s academy side.
Path to Soccer
Awaziem’s progression through the Porto academy gave him a structured route into senior football. Playing in the youth ranks exposed him to high-level coaching, tactical discipline, and the technical demands expected of a central defender in European competition.
His performances at youth level earned him promotion to Porto B, the club’s reserve team that competes in the Segunda Liga. That step marked his transition from academy prospect to senior professional and prepared him for his eventual appearances with the Porto first team.
Chidozie Awaziem Career
Early Career at FC Porto (2015–2019)
Chidozie Collins Awaziem made his senior debut with FC Porto B in the Segunda Liga after progressing through the club’s academy. Operating mainly as a central defender, he featured regularly for the reserve side and developed the physical and tactical base that would later support his top-flight career.
On 27 January 2016, aged 19, Awaziem played his first competitive match with the Porto first team, completing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away defeat to CD Feirense in the Taça da Liga. His Primeira Liga debut followed on 12 February 2016, when he started in a 2–1 away win at SL Benfica, a match in which he was trusted because of an injury crisis in the Porto defensive unit.
FC Nantes Breakthrough (2017–2018)
In the summer of 2017, Chidozie Collins Awaziem was loaned to French Ligue 1 side FC Nantes for the 2017–18 season, marking his first move outside Portugal. The switch gave him regular top-flight exposure in one of Europe’s stronger domestic leagues.
His Ligue 1 debut came on 6 August 2017, when he entered as a 74th-minute substitute in a 3–0 away loss to Lille OSC. Although the result was heavy, the appearance underlined Nantes’ intent to integrate him quickly, and he continued to feature across the campaign as he adjusted to the pace and physicality of French football.
Turkish Süper Lig Loans (2019–2021)
In January 2019, Awaziem joined Çaykur Rizespor on loan in the Turkish Süper Lig, gaining a second season of regular senior football away from Porto. He then moved on loan to Spanish La Liga side CD Leganés on 15 August 2019, broadening his experience across another major European league.
Still owned by Porto, Awaziem signed a temporary deal with Boavista FC ahead of the 2020–21 campaign, with the arrangement including an obligation to make the move permanent on 30 June 2021. On 8 September 2021 he returned to the Turkish Süper Lig on loan at Alanyaspor, continuing a career path built on steady, repeated loan spells.
HNK Hajduk Split Spell (2022–2023)
On 1 August 2022, Chidozie Collins Awaziem was loaned to Croatian club HNK Hajduk Split, with an option for the move to become permanent at the end of the season. The spell in Croatia proved one of the most productive stretches of his career.
During his time at Hajduk Split he scored a career-best five goals from central defense, a notable return for a player whose primary role is defensive. He also lifted the Croatian Football Cup, adding a senior club trophy to the youth league title he had won earlier at Porto.
Boavista Tenure (2020–2024)
After his earlier loan, Awaziem’s move to Boavista became permanent in 2021, keeping him at the Estádio do Bessa for the long term. The Portuguese top flight offered him the chance to settle at a single club rather than continue the rhythm of short-term loans.
His spell at Boavista allowed him to grow into a more consistent starter and to test himself week after week in the Primeira Liga. The experience of staying in one place helped him mature tactically, particularly in reading the game and managing defensive transitions.
Move to Major League Soccer (2024)
On 25 July 2024, Chidozie Collins Awaziem joined Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati on a two-year contract with the possibility of an extension through 2027. The move took him to TQL Stadium and introduced him to North American soccer.
He totalled 14 appearances during his time at FC Cincinnati, recording three assists from central defense. On 9 December 2024 he then signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Rapids, a contract that included an option to extend through the end of the 2027 season.
Return to FC Nantes (2025–Present)
In summer 2025, Awaziem returned to FC Nantes on a three-year contract, rejoining the Ligue 1 club where he had first played on loan in 2017. The move gave him a familiar environment and a fresh chance to establish himself as a long-term starter in French football.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Awaziem’s most significant milestones are his senior debut with Porto B, his first Primeira Liga appearance away at SL Benfica in February 2016, and his move to Hajduk Split where he scored a career-best five goals and won the Croatian Football Cup. He has also represented Nigeria at two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Chidozie Awaziem Family
Personal Life
Chidozie Collins Awaziem is a Nigerian national whose family roots lie in Enugu, the city of his birth. He has spent much of his adult life based in Europe, moving between Portugal, France, Turkey, Spain, Croatia, and the United States as his career has unfolded.
Publicly available verified information about his parents, marital status, spouse, and children is limited, and those details are not included here because they cannot be confirmed with certainty.
2025 Season Performance
Chidozie Collins Awaziem’s 2025 season is built around his return to FC Nantes on a three-year contract, marking a homecoming to a club where he first experienced Ligue 1 football. The deal signals both player and club intent to establish him as a long-term defensive option in the French top flight.
After a 14-appearance spell at FC Cincinnati and a short stint at the Colorado Rapids, Awaziem brings refreshed MLS experience back to a Nantes side looking to stabilize defensively. His familiarity with French football from the 2017–18 loan should help him adapt quickly.
With a multi-year contract in hand, Awaziem enters the 2025 campaign aiming to combine regular playing time at Nantes with continued selection for the Nigeria national team, where he remains a senior central defender with experience at both the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup.