Kelechi Iheanacho

A Welcome Note

Dear Fans, you’re welcome to my official website. Here, you’ll find the most up-to-date information about me, my on – and off – the – field activities, and links to my (approved) social media profiles.

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Kelechi Promise Iheanacho is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Leicester City and the Nigeria national team. Iheanacho began his senior career at Manchester City during the 2015–16 season. He moved to Leicester City in 2017 for a reported £25 million fee.

Iheanacho was so good right from his days in Owerri when he represented Taye Academy that he got to play for Nigeria in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Expectedly, his performance led to interest from clubs in Europe.

Career Statistics

Games Played

1 +

Career Goals

1 +

Titles Won

Journey to Stardom

My Professional Career Path

Manchester City

Leicester City

National Team

Iheanacho - manCity

In December 2012, Iheanacho travelled to England to discuss a move to Manchester City. He signed a pre-contract agreement with the club, stating his intent to formally sign for City on his 18th birthday in October 2014.

Iheanacho joined Manchester City’s Academy on 10 January 2015. Before the 2014–15 season, City visited the United States on a pre-season tour, and although still not formally a City player, he joined up with the squad. He played and scored in the first match of the tour, a 4–1 win against Sporting Kansas City, and scored again against Milan in a 5–1 win. After the conclusion of the tour, Manchester City arranged for Iheanacho to train with the Columbus Crew until mid-October.

He made his debut at under-19 level in a UEFA Youth League match against Schalke 04. He began to represent Manchester City at both youth and under-21 level in the latter part of the season.

In July 2015, Iheanacho was included in City’s pre-season tour team in Australia. On the tour, he set up the first goal for Raheem Sterling and scored the second goal in the win against Roma in the 2015 International Champions Cup. He also set up Sterling for the fourth goal in City’s 8–1 victory against the Vietnam national team. In City’s last preseason game, against VfB Stuttgart, he came on as a substitute, scoring late on in a 4–2 defeat. Due to his impressive pre-season, Iheanacho was promoted to the Manchester City senior squad.

Iheanacho - manCity

Iheanacho was signed by Premier League club Leicester City on a five-year contract on 3 August 2017, for a reported £25 million fee. He made his debut for the club in a 4–3 defeat to Arsenal on 11 August 2017. He scored his first goal for Leicester in an EFL Cup tie against Leeds United on 24 October 2017.

At the start of 2020-21 season, Iheanacho went on a goalscoring run of 12 goals in 10 games in all competitions during March and April 2021.

Iheanacho scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 5–0 win against Sheffield United on 14 March 2021. A week later, Iheanacho netted a brace in Leicester’s 3–1 win over Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, sending the club into the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 1981–82. The two strikes were Iheanacho’s eighth and ninth goals in his last nine matches in all competitions.

Iheanacho won the Premier League Player of the Month award in March 2021 after scoring five goals in three league appearances. On 3 April, Iheanacho signed a new three year contract with Leicester, keeping him at the club until at least 2024.

Iheanacho and Leicester started the 2021–22 season with the 2021 FA Community Shield against Manchester City.

Iheanacho - manCity

Iheanacho has represented Nigeria at youth levels from under-13 upwards. His first experience of a major international tournament was the 2013 African U-17 Championship in Morocco. For Iheanacho, the highlight was a hat-trick in a win against Botswana. He dedicated his goals to his mother, who died two months before the tournament.

Iheanacho played a significant role in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball award for player of the tournament. Nigeria won the competition, in which Iheanacho scored six times, including once in the final, and provided seven assists. In the run-up to the 2014 African Nations Championship, Iheanacho trained with the senior Nigeria squad but was released from the squad in order to travel to England to sign with Manchester City. He was part of the Nigeria squad for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, and featured in two matches.

Iheanacho made his senior debut as a substitute in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Eswatini in which Nigeria drew 0–0. His first start for the senior team was on 25 March 2016, a 1–1 draw with Egypt in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.