NIGERIAN parents, played for England at youth level and even eligible for France.
But now Carney Chukwuemeka is hoping to take Austria on a historic World Cup run.
Carney Chukwuemeka has switched allegiance to represent Austria Credit: Getty
He helped England win the U19 Euros in 2022 Credit: Reuters
They kick off their Group J campaign against Jordan in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
And , 22, will be desperate to make an impact in just his fourth cap after switching allegiance earlier this year.
The former Aston Villa and midfielder played for the Young Lions from Under-16s through to U20s and won the 2022 U19s Euros but, with no senior caps, opted to give himself a shot at representing his homeland.
He was born in Vienna but moved with his family, including older brother and fellow footballer Caleb, to Northampton when he was two.
Former Austria international Johnny Ertl told SunSport: “Chukwuemeka always said he has a strong connection to Vienna, because the first two years of his life he spent in Vienna.
“Also, his relation to David Alaba was important, with the Nigerian roots.
“Chukwuemeka had a great debut for Austria. He scored a cracking goal. It couldn’t get any better for him.
“It wasn’t the conventional route. Paul Wanner from Germany did the same as Chukwuemeka and also made his debut against Ghana.
Ralf Rangnick has transformed Austrian football Credit: Getty
David Alaba will lead his country in North America Credit: AFP
“It wasn’t a coincidence that .
“Over the last three years, the Austrian Football Federation has been in touch with him.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him to play at the cup, and to just present himself at the biggest stage.”
As Ertl referenced, .
Real Madrid defender David Alaba’s dad is an Orege Yoruba prince from the western African nation.
The captain, 33, and his deputy Marko Arnautovic, 37, have a combined 246 caps for the Burschen and could bring up their 250 milestone in the second Group J game against Argentina.
Ertl believes the veteran pair and young hotshots, under the guidance of former Manchester United temporary boss , could go very deep into the tournament.
The ex-Crystal Palace and Portsmouth midfielder added: “After 28 years, Austria qualified for the World Cup. So, that means a lot for our country.
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“The round of 16 is achievable, the quarter-finals would be a success, and anything beyond that would be historic.
“We have . We must win. Full stop. That eases the pressure for the Argentina game because we are underdogs and then it’s make or break against Algeria. It’s as simple as that.
“Our key strength is the team spirit. We don’t have a really stand-out player.
“We have Alaba, but he’s coming back from an injury, but he’s very important. He’s Ralf Rangnick’s right-hand man.
“We have Marko Arnautovic who is the record goalscorer and still scoring. Whenever he plays for Austria, he looks like 27 not 37.
“Rangnick is not the only one who’s been associated with a terrible time at .
“But I rate him highly as a human and as a man, because he’s a game changer.
“Austria was in the middle of nowhere as a football country before he went to Red Bull Salzburg [as director of football in 2012].
“He created the pathway for Austrian football to be successful in the future.
“As a manager, you need to be clear and authentic. These are the two attributes you need.
“He acts like a father figure for the players. He also demands a lot, don’t forget this, so it’s not easy to work under Ralf Rangnick.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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