Kelechi Iheanacho is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Leicester City and the Nigeria national team.
He started his senior career at Manchester City in 2015, where he won the Football League Cup. He moved to Leicester City in 2017 for a record fee of £25 million.
He assisted Leicester City to win their first FA Cup and FA Community Shield in 2021. He is also a former FIFA U-17 World Cup winner and the Most Promising African Talent of 2013 and 2016.
Kelechi Iheanacho Early Life and Family
Kelechi Iheanacho was born on October 3, 1996 in Imo State, Nigeria. He was the last son and third child of his parents, James and Mercy Iheanacho. His father was a trader and his mother was a teacher. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was only 14 years old. He has a sister and two brothers, one of whom is also a footballer named Chibuike Iheanacho.
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Kelechi Iheanacho Career
Iheanacho showed a natural talent for football from a young age and played with his siblings and friends on the streets and at school. He joined the Taye Academy in Owerri, the capital city of Imo, where he impressed scouts from top European clubs.
He won the FIFA U-17 World Cup with Nigeria in 2013, scoring six goals and being named the best player of the tournament. He also received the CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year award in 2013 and 2016.
Iheanacho signed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester City in 2014, stating his intent to join the club on his 18th birthday. However, he faced delays in obtaining a work permit and could not play in England until February 2015.
He made his debut for Manchester City’s under-19 team in the UEFA Youth League, but suffered an injury after 11 minutes. He recovered and joined the senior team for the 2015-16 season, where he won the Football League Cup and scored 14 goals in all competitions.
Iheanacho moved to Leicester City in 2017 for a record fee of £25 million, the largest ever transfer amount for a Nigerian player at the time and the second-largest for an African player after Mohamed Salah. He helped Leicester City win their first FA Cup and FA Community Shield in 2021, scoring four goals in the FA Cup and the winning penalty in the Community Shield.
Iheanacho made his senior international debut for Nigeria in 2015 and has since represented the country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He has scored 12 goals in 34 appearances for the Super Eagles.
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Kelechi Iheanacho Girlfriend
Iheanacho is currently in a relationship with Amarachi Joy, a Nigerian model and entrepreneur. They have been dating since 2019 and often share pictures of each other on social media. They are not married yet and do not have any children.
Kelechi Iheanacho Net Worth
Kelechi Iheanacho’s net worth is estimated to be around $15 million as of 2024. His main source of income is through his earnings as a professional footballer. He currently earns £60,000 a week at Leicester City, where he has a contract until 2024. He also has endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Pepsi.
Kelechi Iheanacho Social Media Handles
Kelechi Iheanacho is very active on social media platforms. He has verified accounts on both Instagram and Twitter with over 750,000 and 347,000 followers respectively. You can follow him through the following social media handles:
- Instagram: @kelechi72
- Twitter: @67kelechi
