Chimaobim Onyeocha

Sep 29, 2026

When Chimaobim ‘Obi’ Onyeocha, Inter Toronto’s youngest-ever debutant and a proof-of-concept for their academy structure, it’s not only himself he brings onto the field. While his father attentively sits in the stands cheering Obi on, a part of him - his younger self’s dreams and ambitions of going pro - are carried by his son.

Does that extra ounce give Obi the superpowers to show up in big moments? There isn’t evidence against that. In the past year, he seized the day at Toronto’s open trials, a situation steeped in inherent nerves, then maximized his CanMNT U-16 call-up by scoring against Chile. The young striker is now collecting more minutes at Inter, and with years of runway in front of him, boarding is still just beginning.

And when Obi gets on the flight of his career, he won’t have to worry about who’s in the seat beside him.

What made you fall in love with football?

It was my dad. He always wanted to be pro, but due to certain situations, he wasn’t able to follow his dream. So I’m basically living out his dream and mine.

Is that something you carry with you onto the pitch?

Yes, every game, my father is there supporting me. I’m always trying to make him proud in everything I do.

You’re young enough to have always known the CPL as a route for going pro. Was it always in your mind as a pathway?

I always had my eyes on the CPL. It was a big dream for me to become a professional player and have a league in my own country. It was a big opportunity.

Your journey is interesting because you joined Inter Toronto through open trials, a concept which is relatively new to the club. How was that experience?

It was a great experience. It showed me levels and the level I need to be at, that I have to work harder to get where I want to be. But the trials were successful, so I’m happy about that.

Did you have any nerves being in a more professional atmosphere at the trials?

I was definitely nervous, for sure. I knew there was a lot at stake and I had to do my best. It was definitely nerve wracking.

From the trials, you shot through the academy so fast, from Inter Toronto IV all the way to the senior team. How did you find that process, given that Inter’s academy has only just been created?

As soon as I went into the trials, my eyes were always on the first team. When I was put into Inter Toronto IV, I tried not to let that get to my head or deter me. My dad always gave me words of encouragement. So every time I went up through the ranks, I was very happy. Once I got to the first team, it was like the goal was complete, but not fully complete.

Going from the academy to the senior team is obviously a huge jump in quality and the size of your competitors, because they’ve earned their stripes over a long period of time. Was there a culture shock for you, being so young?

They were definitely receptive, but at the same time, they were very hard on me. It was a big change for me. I've never heard so many people yell at me at once, and give me so much advice at once. There was a lot to take in, but you know, I see it as every day I train, I get better, and that's really all you want to get from training.

Over the summer, you were called up to Canada’s U-16 camp for two matches against Chile. Did that call-up feel like validation for you after all the work you’ve been putting in recently?

It was very big validation because every player wants to be the best you can be, and getting a chance to play for a national team means people are noticing the effort you're putting in.

You scored for Canada, too, a late goal in the first game.

That was a big, big achievement, a big goal for me. Sadly, we couldn’t get the win in the end, but at least I scored, as a striker, you really want to score goals.

You’re one of a few CPL players who has to balance work and high school. How do you manage both lives?

It’s taught me a lot of time management. I'm not used to having so many things at once. There are a lot of responsibilities, but it's a great lesson, building life skills. I think it's important.

What do you think is the identity of a Canadian footballer?

I think the identity of Canadian football is really, really physical. The goal is to press hard, swarm, win the ball. I think it's an effective way to press on the ball.