Carney Chukwuemeka’s name was trending all over social media this week.
Had the Borussia Dortmund midfielder scored a worldie? Maybe he had produced an outrageous piece of skill?
It was a little bit more strange than that.
The former Aston Villa and Chelsea midfielder has now made 97 senior appearances across all competitions – but somehow has never played a full 90 minutes.
The 22-year-old made his debut for Villa on the final day of the 2020-21 Premier League season against Tottenham.
He has started 18 games but always been subbed off. The closest he has got to a full game is the 82nd minute, twice.
That was in a 4-1 loss for Chelsea at Manchester United in May 2023, and a 1-1 draw for Dortmund at Hamburg in November 2025.
His other 79 matches have all been from the bench.
The breakdown of his games is 16 for Villa, 32 for Chelsea and, since his move in 2024, 49 with Dortmund.
This should be no slight on the player’s ability, with Dortmund boss Niko Kovac describing him as “sensationally good”.
“The way he takes the ball and carries it, the way he immediately turns in the direction of play, that is really unique,” Kovac said after a 6-0 win over Union Berlin last year.
“He has very good acceleration and technique. The boy will give us joy.”
What does this tell us about the modern game with five substitutes?
Do any other players come close, or is Chukwuemeka an exception?
