Allen, Chukwu and Ottey earn first Canada call ups

Teenagers Amanda Allen, Annabelle Chukwu and Ella Ottey have all earned their first-ever call ups to Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team. The three young players have been selected by Head Coach Bev Priestman ahead of a pair of November 2022 away international matches in Santos and São Paulo, Brazil.

All three teenagers are members of Canada Soccer’s National Development Centre Program and recently represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022.

Winger Allen, 17, grew up in Mississauga, Ontario and has played her youth football for North Mississauga SC, Woodbridge SC and Canada Soccer’s NDC Ontario program in Markham. She has made 19 youth international appearances, won a Concacaf youth medal (U-17 bronze in 2022), and represented Canada at one FIFA youth tournament. She scored and was Canada’s Player of the Match in their group finale at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022.

Forward Chukwu, 15, grew up in Kent, England and Ottawa, Ontario. In Canada, she has played her youth football at Ottawa South United SC and Canada Soccer’s NDC Ontario program in Markham. She has made 12 youth international appearances, won a Concacaf youth medal (U-15 silver in 2022), and represented Canada at one FIFA youth tournament. She scored in Canada’s opening match at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup against France and then earned Player of the Match honours in Canada’s second match against Japan.

Fullback Ottey, also 17, grew up in Toronto, Ontario and has played her youth football with Dixie SC, Woodbridge SC and Canada Soccer’s NDC Ontario program in Markham. She has made 15 youth international appearances, won a Concacaf youth medal (U-17 bronze in 2022), and represented Canada at one FIFA youth tournament. She earned Canada’s Player of the Match nod in qualifying knockout match against Costa Rica at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship.

Canada are currently preparing for Australia & New Zealand 2023 which will mark their eighth consecutive participation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup since 1995. The 2022 Concacaf runners up are reigning Olympic champions from 2021 and two-time Concacaf champions from 1998 and 2010. In winning gold last year, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team became the first Canadian team to win three consecutive medals at the Summer Olympic Games and just the third nation in the world to win three medals in women’s soccer.