Kelechi Iheanacho happens to be one of the biggest talents from Africa. He has got to the world stage as a result of his passion for the game. At some point in his life, he went through some challenges, and never for once gave up on his goals. Two things have kept him going, and they are consistency and persistency. Presently, he has made several appearances for both his clubs and country.
The truth is anyone can make it as long as they determine to put in the required work. Kelechi has achieved success through the sweat of his brow, and it has shown on his game either for his club or country. Within a short time of showing his talent, he has won the hearts of many fans. Most people got to know him through his dribbling, and goal-scoring prowess at a young age.
Personal Life of Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi Iheanacho was born on October 3, 1996, in Owerri, Nigeria. He started his football journey by joining a youth academy known as Taye Academy, and from there he developed his skills and gained more experience in the round leather game from 2011 to 2014. Although his father was a petty trader who was trying to make ends meet, he was so focused on his dream.
Furthermore, he was among the Nigeria squad that emerged winner of the FIFA under 17 world cup held in the United Arab Emirates. At the grand finale, he was extraordinary throughout the 90 minutes of the football match and also helping his team win Mexico with a high scoreline of 3–0. In 2015, he was part of the under 20 world cup held in New Zealand, and also made his debut from the Nigerian senior team.
Club Career
The Nigerian prodigy “Kelechi Iheanacho” has made a good name for himself after winning some accolades – under 15 World Cup, and golden player of the tournament. In 2014, several clubs had their eyes on him such as FC Porto, Arsenal, Sporting CP, Manchester City, etc. Luckily for him, he signed a pre-contract football agreement with Man City for which he intended to sign for the club on his birthday date (October 18).
Kelechi was outstanding during his time at Manchester City. During the 2014/205 pre-season with Manchester City in the United States of America, he was opportune to play and scored a superb goal against Sporting Kansas CP. Most of his haters thought his goal against Sporting Kansas CP was a fluke, he repeated the same feat and scored again against Milan. This performance against these two football clubs ignited the interest of his employers
Manchester City Team B 2014/2015
On January 10, 2015, he became a Man City player officially, but his work permit didn’t allow him to make his debut appearance for his new club on time until February 2015. For the first match he played for Manchester City team B against Schalke 04 in the UEFA Champions League, he sustained an injury. Another opportunity was given to him to showcase his talent in the FA Youth Cup against Chelsea, but his team was defeated 5 — 2. The next match he scored a vital goal in the 2014/2015 final of the Premier League International Cup.
Manchester City Senior Team 2015 – 2017
After performing exploit with Manchester City team B, Kelechi was promoted to the senior team, and this was how it began. During the Australia pre-season tour, he gave a nice assist to Raheem Sterling and made a wonderful strike against Roma in the 2015/2016 International Champions Cup.
As time progressed, he kept on showing himself as a key player by assisting Raheem Sterling to score the fourth goal against Vietnam National football team. During the last pre-season game for Manchester City, he came in as a substitute and scored a nutcracker goal against VFB Stuttgart. After his impressive display with the Manchester City Senior Team, he became a player with them.
On September 12, 2015, Kelechi came in as a tactical replacement for Wilfred Bony at the Scottish time of the game against Crystal Palace and scored the only goal. After the end of the match Coach, Pep Guardiola was blown away with his outstanding performance, and his entire team celebrated him.
Kelechi gave himself and Manchester City a new year presence by scoring his first hat-trick in his career against Aston Villa and also assisting Raheem Sterling to score a goal. In February 2015, Kelechi scored against Tottenham, and pressed forward by scoring two goals against Southampton in the English Premiership, and he ended the season as the third-highest scorer in Manchester City.
At the beginning of the 2016/2017 season, Manchester City had their first match with Manchester United, Kelechi gave an assist and also score in that same match. After four days, Pep Guardiola brought him as a substitute and he dazzled in the match scoring the last goal for his club against Borrusia Mönchengladbach in a 4 — 0 win.
Within a short time in Manchester City, he has had 10 goals before his 20th birthday. As a result of his excellent performance, he was part of the nominees for the FIFA Golden Boy Award. After the end of the 2016/2017 season, he was signed by Leicester on a 5-year contract for a £25 million fee.
Leicester City 2017 till Present
On October 24, 2017, Kelechi scored his first goal for his new club against Leeds United, and he is the first player in English football whose goal was decided by Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The 2020/2021 season happens to be the best season for him because he has been scoring goals in nearly every match. In March 2021, he was awarded the best Premier League player for the month, and in May 2021, he helped his team to win FA Cup against Chelsea.
International Career
Kelechi Iheanacho has played for Nigeria right from Under-13 upwards. In 2013, he represented his country for the African Under-17 Championship in Morocco. During the competition, he scored a hat-trick against Botswana and dedicated his goals to his late mother. Throughout the tournament, he was a key player scoring six times and providing seven assists for his teammates.
In 2018, he made his debut for the Nigerian senior team for a qualifying match against Eswatini and the match ended 0–0. From then till now, he had played several games at the senior team level. Besides, Kelechi Iheanacho is one of the crucial players for the Nigerian national team.
Conclusion:
Kelechi Iheanacho in his career has scored over 100 goals for both clubs and national team. Besides, he has captured the heart of many Leicester City fans, because after the FA Cup final they were chanting his name outside the stadium. Before this could happen, it takes hard work and dedication to live the dream, and he has kept his game tight by scoring decisive goals for his team.
