Ethan Nwaneri facts for kids
Nwaneri in 2024
|
||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 21 March 2007 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Enfield, England | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
|
Current team
|
Arsenal | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2024 | Arsenal | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2022– | Arsenal | 28 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | England U16 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | England U17 | 27 | (15) | |||||||||||||
| 2024– | England U19 | 9 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2025– | England U21 | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:09, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:18, 29 June 2025 (UTC) |
||||||||||||||||
Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri (born 21 March 2007) is a talented English footballer. He plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for the Premier League club Arsenal. Ethan also represents the England U21 national team.
Born in North London, Ethan joined the Arsenal Academy when he was eight years old. He made his first appearance in the Premier League on 18 September 2022. This made him the youngest player ever to play in England's top football league. He was only 15 years and 181 days old at the time.
Contents
Ethan Nwaneri's Early Life
Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri was born on 21 March 2007 in Enfield, London. His father is from the Igbo community in Nigeria, and his mother is English-French. Ethan went to St John's Senior School in Enfield.
Ethan Nwaneri's Club Career
Starting at Arsenal Academy
Ethan Nwaneri joined Arsenal when he was just eight years old. By the time he was 14, he was already playing for Arsenal's under-18 team. Ethan grew up playing football alongside his friend and teammate, Myles Lewis-Skelly, at the academy.
Playing for Arsenal's Senior Team
2022–23 Season: Making History
Ethan started the 2022–23 season playing for Arsenal's under-18s. However, he quickly moved up to the club's under-21 team. After playing just one game for the under-21s, he began training with the first team in September.
On 18 September 2022, Ethan was named as a substitute for a Premier League match against Brentford. He came onto the field late in the game, replacing Fábio Vieira. This moment made him the youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League. He was 15 years and 181 days old. He broke the record held by Harvey Elliott and also the all-time English top-flight record. Ethan also became Arsenal's youngest player ever in any competition. He broke the record set by Cesc Fàbregas in 2003.
After the match, Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, explained his decision. He said that several first-team players were injured, including captain Martin Ødegaard. Arteta also mentioned having a "gut feeling" about sending Ethan onto the field. In June 2023, Ethan agreed to a new deal with Arsenal. This deal included a professional contract when he turned 17.
2023–24 Season: More Premier League Action
During the 2023–24 season, Ethan played as a substitute in a Premier League game. This was Arsenal's big 6–0 win against West Ham United. He came on in the 77th minute of the match. Manager Mikel Arteta shared that the other players on the bench were "whispering to bring Ethan on," which he thought was a great sign.
2024–25 Season: First Goals and Records
On 25 September 2024, Ethan Nwaneri scored his first senior goals. He scored two goals against Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup. These goals helped Arsenal win 5–1. He then scored another goal from outside the box against Preston North End in the next round.
On 23 November, Ethan scored his first goal in the Premier League. This happened in Arsenal's 3–0 home win against Nottingham Forest. He came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute. This goal made him the ninth-youngest goalscorer in the league's history. He was 17 years and 247 days old.
On 4 January 2025, Ethan scored in a 1–1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. He became only the third player to score at least five goals in a season before turning 18. The other two players were Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney. Later that month, on 29 January, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal. This goal secured a 2–1 away win over Girona.
Four days later, on 2 February, Ethan scored the fifth goal in a 5–1 win over Manchester City. He curled a shot into the net from just outside the penalty box. Ethan was named Man of the Match after his great performance against Leicester City. In that game, he hit the goal frame twice and helped Mikel Merino score in a 2–0 victory. On 4 March, Ethan scored one of Arsenal's seven goals away at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League Last-16.
On 19 June 2025, it was announced that Ethan Nwaneri was one of six players nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Ethan Nwaneri's International Career
Ethan Nwaneri could play for Nigeria or France because of his parents. However, he chose to play for England at the youth level.
After playing well in qualifying games, Ethan was chosen for the England squad. This was for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship on 17 May 2023. He scored the winning goal in England's first match against Croatia.
On 2 November 2023, Ethan was part of the England squad for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He scored his only goal of the tournament in their first group game against New Caledonia. Ethan also played in the other group games against Iran and Brazil. He came on as a substitute when England lost to Uzbekistan in the round of sixteen.
On 20 May 2024, Ethan was again selected for the England squad. This time it was for the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He scored in the opening game of this tournament too, helping England win 4–0 against France. Ethan also scored in a group stage win over Spain. His third and final goal of the competition came in the quarter-final. England was knocked out by Italy in that game.
On his 18th birthday, 21 March 2025, Ethan Nwaneri made his debut for the England U21 team. He came on as a substitute during a 5-3 loss to France. Just three days later, he scored his first goal for England U21 in his first full start. This goal helped England to a 4-2 victory against Portugal.
Ethan was chosen for England's squad at the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He played in the final, where England won the title for the second time in a row.
Ethan Nwaneri's Style of Play
Ethan Nwaneri is known as a player who can play as a "number 10". This means he is good at creating chances for his teammates. He can also play in any attacking position. He is very good at receiving the ball and dribbling with it. Ethan also helps out with defending. He is comfortable playing both out wide on the wings and in the middle of the field.
Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal U21 | 2022–23 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 2023–24 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| Arsenal | 2022–23 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | — | 37 | 9 | ||
| Total | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 9 | ||
| Career total | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 9 | ||
Honours and Achievements
Arsenal U21
- FA Youth Cup runner-up: 2022–23
England U21
See also
In Spanish: Ethan Nwaneri para niños
