# Chidozie Awaziem

Chidozie Collins Awaziem MON // (born 1 January 1997) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids.

## Club career
### Porto

Born in Enugu, Awaziem joined FC Porto from Portugal 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.
On 27 January 2016, aged 19, Awaziem appeared in his first competitive game with the main squad, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 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.
Awaziem was loaned to French club FC Nantes for the 2017–18 season. 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 defeat away to Lille OSC.
In January 2019, Awaziem joined Çaykur Rizespor on loan until the end of the campaign. On 15 August, in the same situation, he moved to CD Leganés.

### Boavista

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. He returned to the Turkish Süper Lig on 8 September that year, being loaned to Alanyaspor.
On 1 August 2022, Awaziem was loaned to HNK Hajduk Split with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. During his tenure, he scored a career-best five goals and also won the Croatian Football Cup.

### FC Cincinnati

Awaziem joined Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati on 25 July 2024, on a two-year contract with the possibility of an extension through 2027. He totalled 14 appearances during his spell at TQL Stadium, recording three assists.

### Colorado Rapids

On 9 December 2024, Awaziem signed a one-year deal with Colorado Rapids, extendable until the end of the 2027 season.

## International career

Aged 19, Awaziem was called up by Nigeria 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 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 9 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Continental | Continental | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Porto B | 2015–16 | LigaPro | 24 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | 2 |
| Porto B | 2016–17 | LigaPro | 35 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | 0 |
| Porto B | 2018–19 | LigaPro | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Porto B | Total | Total | 62 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 62 | 2 |
| Porto | 2015–16 | Primeira Liga | 10 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Porto | 2016–17 | Primeira Liga | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Porto | 2018–19 | Primeira Liga | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Porto | Total | Total | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 |
| Nantes (loan) | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 22 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 1 |
| Çaykur Rizespor (loan) | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 16 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Leganés (loan) | 2019–20 | La Liga | 26 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| Boavista (loan) | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| Boavista | 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 3 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Boavista | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 |
| Boavista | Total | Total | 27 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 |
| Alanyaspor (loan) | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 18 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 1 |
| Hajduk Split (loan) | 2022–23 | Croatian Football League | 28 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 5 |
| FC Cincinnati | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 243 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 276 | 10 |
* ↑ Appearances in Taça de Portugal, Copa del Rey, Turkish Cup, Croatian Football Cup and U.S. Open Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Taça da Liga, Coupe de la Ligue and Leagues Cup
* ↑ Appearances in MLS Cup playoffs
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

### International

    As of match played 26 March 2024
Nigeria :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 33 | 1 |

### International goals

    As of match played 8 September 2018
    Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Awaziem goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 8 September 2018 | Stade Linité, Victoria, Seychelles | Seychelles | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |

## Honours

Porto B
* LigaPro: 2015–16
Porto
* Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2018
Hajduk
* Croatian Football Cup: 2022–23
Nigeria
* Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2023
Orders
* Member of the Order of the Niger