Simy Nwankwo Biography. African footballers. Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo, commonly known as Simy, was born on May 7, 1992, and is a professional Nigerian footballer specializing as a striker for the Serie A club Salernitana. Simy has also proudly represented the Nigeria national team.
In the 2019–20 Serie B season, Simy achieved the historic feat of becoming the first African footballer to claim the top scorer title in an Italian professional league. His remarkable contribution includes a total of 66 goals across all competitions, securing his position as Crotone’s all-time leading goal scorer.
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Career
In July 2016, Simy joined Crotone, a newly promoted Serie A team. During the 2017–18 season, he scored seven goals, tying with Ante Budimir for the second-highest on the team and falling just one goal behind the top scorer, Marcello Trotta. Notably, Simy executed a memorable overhead kick in a 1–1 draw against champions Juventus on April 19, 2018. Despite his efforts, Crotone faced relegation at the end of the season.
In Serie B’s subsequent season, despite Crotone finishing twelfth, Simy showcased his exceptional form, securing his best season in Italy and ranking first on his team and sixth overall in goals with fourteen. His performance escalated in the 2019–20 campaign as he emerged as the top scorer in Serie B with twenty goals, contributing to his team’s promotion back to Serie A.
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Simy continued his prolific run in the 2020–21 season, netting 20 league goals, but unfortunately, Crotone faced relegation after just one season in the top flight. On August 19, 2021, Simy made a move to Serie A’s newly-promoted club, Salernitana, on a season-long loan.
In January 2022, Salernitana acquired Simy’s rights fully for €3.5 million. Later, on January 31, 2022, he was loaned to Serie B club Parma for the remainder of the season with an option to buy.
As of September 1, 2022, Simy embarked on another loan move, this time to Benevento, with an option to buy.
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International career
On May 25, 2018, Simy received a call-up to join the Nigeria national team’s camp for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, as summoned by coach Gernot Rohr. Just three days later, he marked his international debut in a 1–1 draw against the DR Congo. In June, Simy was included in Nigeria’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup. His first appearance in the tournament occurred in the match against Croatia, where he entered as a second-half substitute while Nigeria trailed 2–0. Additionally, he played as a substitute in the 2–1 defeat against Argentina, which ultimately led to Nigeria’s elimination from the World Cup.
Personal Life
Simy holds the position of the eldest among his three siblings. His brother, a physiotherapist, and his sister, a nurse, share the special bond of being twins. Simy, along with his wife, practices the Catholic faith, and together they have a son.
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Regrettably, Simy has faced racial abuse on social media during his tenure in Crotone, enduring disturbing wishes, such as those expressing that his son ‘would die of pancreatic cancer’. In a powerful stance against racism, the mayor of Crotone, Vincenzo Voce, conferred honorary citizenship of the city upon Nwankwo’s son on March 27, 2021, demonstrating solidarity and condemnation of such reprehensible acts.