Revealed: Why American-born Man Utd star Awujo chose to represent Canada instead of Nigeria

Manchester United star Simi Awujo's agent has revealed why the midfielder chose to represent Canada at the senior international level, ahead of Nigeria and the United States. 

Awujo joined Manchester United in August 2024, from the University of Southern Carolina's USC Trojans on a three-year deal until the 2026/2027 season.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Simi was qualified to wear the colours of the United States, Nigeria and represented her country of birth at youth level. 

However, she opted to represent Canada, switching her allegiance at the age of 18 and ultimately earning her first senior cap in September 2022 in a friendly against Australia.

Prior to her senior debut, she won bronze with Canada at the 2022 Concacaf U20 Championships, which secured Canada's spot at the FIFA U20 World Cup later that year. 

She played every minute for Canada at the 2022 Fifa U20 World Cup.

Simi's decision to represent Canada had sparked speculation, with some suggesting that she rejected approaches from the Nigerian Football Federation. 

However, her agent has dismissed these claims as false, revealing that his client had already began to establish herself with the Canadian senior women's national team before any interest from Nigeria emerged.

"Simi was never approached by Nigeria when she was starting out with Canada. Any of such interest would've come well after she was cap-tied with Canada," her agent told allnigeriasoccer.com.

When quizzed on whether Simi did hold an interest in donning the green and white jersey of Nigeria's Super Falcons before switching her international allegiance to Canada, her agent had this to say: "Hard to know but at least she would have given it some thoughts you know. 

"This was never something she had to think about because it just never happened."

The 2022 Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year, was part of Canada squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, featuring as an unused substitute against Nigeria in what was the first game of the tournament from both sides.

Fast forward to 2024, she was named in Canada's squad for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, as her side bowed out of the tournament after losing to German on penalties in the quarter-final. 

Ejim Kaycee

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