17-year-old Nigeria-eligible Ashanti Akpan debuts for Chelsea
Elder sister Ashley Antoni Akpan also eligible
Ashanti Akpan has made her debut for Chelsea women’s football club after playing for 25 minutes as the Blues defeated Reading Women 3-1 in a FA Cup game.
She finally made her debut having previously made the substitute bench in Chelsea’s 2–0 win over Real Madrid in a UEFA Women’s Champions League back in November 2022.
Ashanti Akpan was a second-half substitute for Sophie Ingle as Chelsea beat Reading on Sunday.
Ashanti Akpan wearing Nigeria’s jersey
Akpan, 17, was born in Poland to a Nigerian father and thus, eligible to play for Nigeria.
The midfielder is eligible to play for three countries, Poland her place of birth, Nigeria through her father, and England where she has been capped at the under-16 level.
Her elder sister, Ashley Antoni Akpan, 19, who was also from Chelsea academy currently plays the right-back position for Aldershot Town.
Both players are yet to be capped at the senior level for either Poland or England.
