Samuel Chukwueze Makes 100 LaLiga Appearances

For a young boy from Umuahia, in South East Nigeria,  whose dream was just to play football at any recognized level, Samuel Chukwueze’s talent and dedication have earned him a place amongst the biggest names in the game. The 22-year-old came off the bench during Villarreal’s 2-0 home win over Rayo Vallecano on December 12, 2021, and that became his 100th appearance in the Spanish LaLiga.

Chukwueze is now in the league of Ikechukwu Uche, Mutiu Adepoju, Finidi George, Kalu Uche, and Christopher Ohen as Nigerians that reached the centurion-appearance mark in Spain’s top division.

On September 20, 2018, Chukwueze made his first team debut when he replaced Nicola Sansone in the Yellow Submarines’ 2-2 Europa League draw against Rangers, but his L Liga debut came two weeks later in a 1-1 home draw against Levante on November 5. That marked the introduction of a star that would go on to shine brightly in a highly competitive galaxy.

Three years after his LaLiga debut, Chukwueze has grown to become a mainstay in Villarreal's setup. He has proven to be an easy pick for each of the three managers – Javier Calleja, Luis Garcia, and Unai Emery – that he has had to work with so far at the Spanish club. His direct running style and electrifying pace remain as reliable arrows in his quiver. His style of play is not best depicted by stats, such that a return of 13 goals and 10 assists from 100 appearances in La Liga does not do a perfect justice to his talent and delivery.

For instance, Chukwueze’s best performance in La Liga arguably came in Villarreal’s 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid back in March 2021. The Yellow Submarines might have lost and failed to score in the game, but the brilliance, direct runs, and creativity of Chukwueze did not go unnoticed.  That is the kind of talent Villarreal possess in the Nigerian international.

Unfortunately, Chukwueze has had a fair share of injury spells, most notably a hip injury that kept him on the sideline for five months in 202, which led to him losing his position in Villarreal's right wing forward to Yeremy Pino at the moment. This explains how timing of the injuries often affect his rhythm and consistency. However, when he is fit, Chukwueze remains one of the best attackers in La Liga - one that is fancied to do another centurion of impeccable performances in Spanish top division.