Tochukwu Nnadi

Tochukwu Nnadi
Personal information
Full name Tochukwu Nnadi
Date of birth (2003-06-30) 30 June 2003
Place of birth Ihiagwa, Owerri West, Nigeria
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Marseille
Number 6
Youth career
–2019 Campos FC
2019–2021 Madenat Alamal Football Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Botev Plovdiv II 13 (1)
2021–2024 Botev Plovdiv 42 (0)
2024–2026 Zulte Waregem 54 (1)
2026– Marseille 8 (0)
International career‡
2023–2024 Nigeria U20 5 (0)
2025– Nigeria 5 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Nigeria
Africa Cup of Nations
2025 Morocco
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:15, 10 June 2026 (UTC)

Tochukwu Nnadi (born 30 June 2003) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for French Ligue 1 club Marseille and the Nigeria national team.[1]

Club career

Nnadi was born in Ihiagwa, in the Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. He played football as a youngster with Campos FC in Owerri. In 2019, he began to train with Madenat Alamal Football Academy in Dubai. After a successful trial, he joined Botev Plovdiv in August 2021.[2] He agreed a contract with the Bulgarian side until 2025.[3] He made his league debut in the Bulgarian First League on 3 April 2022, away at Ludogorets.[4] In his first season in Europe he made 19 league appearances for Botev Plovdiv, with 29 appearances coming in all competitions.[5]

On 19 January 2024, he joined Belgian Pro League side Zulte Waregem.[6]

On 2 February 2026, Nnadi signed with French club Olympique de Marseille until June 2030.[7] He made his debut for OM on 1 March 2026 in a Ligue 1 match against Lyon, coming on as a substitute for Mason Greenwood.[8]

International career

Nnadi represented Nigeria U-20 at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, appearing in all five of their matches including wins over Italy U-20 and Argentina U-20.[9]

He was called up to the Nigeria national football team for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.[10] Nnadi made his international debut for Nigeria during the AFCON group stage match against Uganda, replacing Paul Onuachu.[11]

Style of play

A fan of Manchester United, Nnadi has said to try modelling his game to former central midfield player Michael Carrick,[12] and expressed admiration for current top defensive midfielders Moisés Caicedo, N'Golo Kanté, Sofyan Amrabat, and Wilfred Ndidi.[13]

He described his style of play as being "calm with the ball and aggressive without", noting a preference for short passes over long ones to maintain possession.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 May 2026[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Botev Plovdiv II 2021–22 Bulgarian Second League 7 1 – – – 7 1
2022–23 Bulgarian Second League 6 0 – – – 6 0
Total 13 1 – – – 13 1
Botev Plovdiv 2021–22 Bulgarian First League 6 0 – – – 6 0
2022–23 Bulgarian First League 19 0 2 0 2[a] 0 – 23 0
2023–24 Bulgarian First League 17 0 2 0 – – 19 0
Total 42 0 4 0 2 0 – 48 0
Zulte Waregem 2023–24 Challenger Pro League 13 1 – – – 13 1
2024–25 Challenger Pro League 23 0 3 0 – – 26 0
2025–26 Challenger Pro League 18 0 1 0 – – 19 0
Total 54 1 4 0 – – 58 1
Marseille 2025–26 Ligue 1 8 0 0 0 – – 8 0
Career total 117 2 8 0 2 0 0 0 127 2

International

As of match played 10 June 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Nigeria 2025 1 0
Nigeria 2026 4 0
Total 5 0

Honours

Nigeria

References

  1. ^ Tochukwu Nnadi at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Nnadi wants career lift after U20 World Cup". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Werder Bremen linked with move for Nigeria's 2023 Fifa U20 World Cup star". All Nigeria Soccer. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  4. ^ "LUDOGORETS VS. BOTEV PLOVDIV 3 - 0". Soccerway. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Nigeria U20 midfielder set to seal €2.2 million move to Russian top division side Dynamo Moscow on four year contract". Own Goal Nigeria. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Zulte Waregem stelt winteraanwinst nummer drie voor". Voetbalnieuws (in Dutch). 19 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Tochukwu Nnadi joins OM". OM.fr. Olympique de Marseille. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Super Eagles midfielder Nnadi finally makes debut for Marseille in 5-goal thriller against Lyon". All Nigeria Soccer. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  9. ^ "Nigeria Under 20 Midfielder Agrees Deal To Join Werder Bremen". Own Goal Nigeria. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Chelle picks Nwabali, Osimhen, Ndidi, 25 others for 35th AFCON". Nigeria Football Federation. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  11. ^ Ogunbayo, Abiodun (31 December 2025). ""I Really Wanted to Cry" — Tochukwu Nnadi on AFCON Call-Up and Super Eagles Debut". sports247.ng. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Flying Eagles midfielder Nnadi reveals he loves Man Utd amid links with Dynamo Moscow". All Nigeria Soccer. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  13. ^ "'I like to be aggressive' - Super Eagles midfielder Nnadi cites Ndidi, Caicedo, Kante, Amrabat as role models". All Nigeria Soccer. 30 December 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  14. ^ "T. Nnadi". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  15. ^ Stevens, Rob (17 January 2026). "Afcon 2025: Egypt 0-0 Nigeria (2-4 pens) - Super Eagles finish third". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
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