Kelechi Iheanacho: Bio, Is He Currently The Most Successful Nigerian Player? 7 Facts

• Kelechi Iheanacho is a 27 year-old Nigerian professional footballer from Imo state of Nigeria.
• He began his career at Taye Academy and he is currently playing for Premier League club Leicester City.
• Iheanacho reported does not have a wife yet.

Kelechi Iheanacho is one of the talented and valuable Nigerian footballers who are bent on making a significant impact in the world of football. Since he began his career in football, he has made remarkable contributions and has become a household name as well.

The Nigerian professional footballer currently plays as a forward for Premier League club Leicester City and also the Nigerian national team. He grew up loving the game and his determination has finally paved way for him.

Kelechi Iheanacho Was Born In Owerri, Imo State

The Leicester City player was born on October 3, 1996, to Elder James Iheanacho and the late Mary Iheanacho in Owerri, Imo state. He hails from Ogogwe, Imo state but was raised in Owerri alongside his two brothers and one sister.

His mother, who was a teacher died while Iheanacho was only fourteen while his father was a trader known for selling building materials in the Owerri market. Elder James is currently the young player’s contact agent and manager.

Regarding his educational background, Kelechi has not revealed the names of the schools he attended but it is known that he completed his elementary and secondary school levels before focusing on his career in football. Also, there are reports that claim he was top of his class while in school.

Read Also: Samuel Chukwueze: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Nigerian Player

Kelechi Iheanacho Has Been Quite Successful in His Career

The prolific striker began his amateur career in football after he impressed his father with golden ball awards and other gifts he earned after winning a competition. His father then registered him with the Lagos State Taye Football Academy, Owerri branch.

It was not long until he started making waves in the football academy. His exceptional skills attracted the attention of the Nigerian Federation and other talent scouts as well.

Iheanacho came to the international spotlight when his performances in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the Nigerian team were recognized by some European clubs such as Arsenal, Sporting CP, and Porto.

He was later invited to England in December 2012 to discuss a possible move to Manchester City. He then signed a pre-contract agreement with the club stating and agreeing to formally sign for the club on his 18th birthday in October 2014.

Iheanacho officially joined Manchester City’s Academy on January 10, 2015, ahead of the 2-14-15 season. He made his debut for the club and scored his first goal in a 4-1 win against Sporting Kansas City and later scored another goal against Milan in a 5-1 win.

The Nigerian international made his UEFA Youth League at under-19 level in a match against Schalke 04. He also played in the FA Youth Cup final where he again scored against Chelsea. The striker again scored another goal the following week for the club during the 2014-15 Premier League International Cup where they played against Porto in the finals. Iheanacho was the one who scored the only goal for the club.

On January 30, 2016, Kelechi Iheanacho scored his first career hat-trick against Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup. He continued to score more goals and by the end of the 2015-16 season, he had eight Premier League goals and also had the best goals-per-minute ratio of any player, averaging a goal every 93.9 minutes.

He scored his first European goal for Manchester City when he played in the Manchester derby and recorded an assist in a 2-1 win for City. The goal came when he scored the final goal in Man City’s 4-0 home win in the Champions League against Borussia  Mönchengladbach.

The prolific striker continued to attain great success as his performance keeps getting better. He joined an exclusive list of players to have scored 10 premier league goals before the age of 20. The list includes players such as Wayne Rooney, Romelu Lukaku, and also Michael Owen.

After a successful time in Manchester City, Iheanacho signed a five-year contract on August 3, 2017, for the premier league club Leicester City. The contract was reportedly worth £25 million.

He made his debut for the club in a 4-3 defeat to Arsenal on August 11, 2017. His first goal for the club came in an EFL Cup tie against Leeds United on October 24th, 2012.

On 14 March 2021, Iheanancho scored his first premier league hat trick in a 5-0 win against Sheffield United. He later won player of the month of March after he scored five goals in three league appearances.

His contract was renewed at the club on April 3, 2021, and he would continue to play for the club until 2024.

For the 2021-22 season, Kelechi Iheanacho scored the winning goal against his former club Man City at the 2021 FA Community Shield.

He Has Represented Nigeria At Youth Levels

Iheanacho had his first international tournament experience during the 2013 African U-17 Championship in Morocco. His highlight was a hat trick in a win against Botswana during the tournament.

The Nigeria striker dedicated his goal to his late mother who had died two months before the competition.

During the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Iheanancho played a crucial role which led to him winning the golden ball award for the player of the tournament after Nigeria won the competition.

He made his senior debut as a substitute in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Eswatini. His performance again paved the way for him as she was later selected to play against Egypt in an African Cup of Nations qualifying series.

In May 2018 the former Man City player was named in the Nigerian preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Iheanacho was shortlisted in the Nigerian squad on December 25, 2021, by caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen.

Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Egypt in the 30th minute of the opening match for the Nigerian squad on January 11, 2022.

 

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7 Other Facts About The Leicester City Forward

1. Kelechi Iheanacho’s parents were not initially in support of his career choice

While growing up, all he ever wanted was to play football with his brothers and friends. Unfortunately, that did not go down well with Mr. and Mrs. Iheanacho who were more interested in his academic performance.

His parents instead urged him to concentrate only on his studies but young Kelechi was determined to play football. According to reports, there were times his parents would flog him for going to play football instead of reading his books.

His father later changed his mind when one of his teachers came to plead with his father to allow him to represent the school in the state competition. Iheanacho’s team won the state competition and he became the most promising youth footballer in the state.

He eventually proved himself to his parents and ever since they gave him their blessings to play football, he has continued to make them proud. His father has continued to support him little wonder he is his manager today.

2. He reportedly struggled to watch Premier Leagues games as a teenager

Growing up in a middle-class family of six was not quite easy for the Nigerian footballer. While his parents tried to provide for his basic needs, there were certain wants Iheanacho did not have the luxury of enjoying.

He reportedly revealed that his parents could not afford to subscribe to TV channels even though the family had a television set. The regular tv channels did not have access to programs such as the premier league games which means people had to pay to watch them.

Being a Chelsea fan, Kelechi had an interest in watching the games but unfortunately, he could not afford to pay and watch in the viewing centers. Most times, he would sneak into the viewing centers or beg his way just to have a glimpse of the game. Who would have ever thought that he would be playing in the premier league years later?

3. His playing style makes him stand out

The 27 year-old striker has found himself in top football clubs because of his skills and talent. His exceptional skills have placed him at the peak of his career.

4. The Leicester City striker has been linked with a couple of women

Although Iheanacho is reportedly single, he was accused of dumping two of his alleged girlfriends in other to marry his allegedly pregnant Irish Nigerian partner Amaka.

According to reports, he was set to marry Amaka in 2020 after he had proposed to another lady called Amarachi. Also, it seems he has a son whom fans claim he has often referred to as his brother.

 

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However, these are just rumors as the footballer has not confirmed or denied anything yet as he is still focused on scoring more goals.

5. He is a brand ambassador

Aside from playing football, the Owerri-born player has boosted his wealth by signing some lucrative endorsement deals. In June 2021, Kelechi was unveiled as the brand ambassador for Multichoice Nigeria alongside his co-national team player, Ndidi Wilfred.

6. What is Kelechi Iheanacho’s net worth?

‘Senior Man’ as he is fondly called is said to be one of the highest-paid Nigerian footballers right now. His net worth reportedly falls between $5 million $10 million at the moment and given that he is still in his prime, his net worth would significantly increase in the future. He has amassed such wealth in his career as a footballer and also from other brands’ endorsements.

His current market value is said to be 20 million Euros. His annual salary in Leicester City is estimated to be £3,120,000.

According to reports, the Super Eagles player uses his wealth to fund his luxurious lifestyle. He reportedly has a fleet of exotic cars among which are:

• BMW i8
• Mercedes c300
• Range Rover Sport

 

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Kelechi Iheanacho reportedly has mansions within and outside Nigeria. His properties include a fully furnished mansion in Manchester with modern facilities. Also his duplex in Lagos state, Nigeria is said to be worth N 10 million.

7. Kelechi Iheanacho’s career honors and achievements

His skills have not only attracted wealth to him but also some titles and honors. Take a look at some of Senior Man’s titles and career achievements:

Individual

• FIFA U-17 World Cup Golden Ball: 2013
• CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year: 2013, 2016
• FIFA U-17 World Cup Silver Shoe: 2013
• Premier League Player of the Month: March 2021

International

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: 2013

Clubs

Manchester City- Football League Cup: 2015-16

Leicester City- FA Cup: 2020-21

FA Community Shield: 2021

Complete profile of Kelechi Iheanacho