Football is one of the most famous sports in the world. It is played in every part of the world and is loved by all ages and genders.
Many people have loved football from a young age and continue doing so. One of those football-loving kids turned out to be Kelechi Iheanacho.
He is a professional football player from Nigeria who plays for Leicester City and the Nigeria National Team.
At the young age of 27, Kelechi made a name for himself, and his name comes under one of the most promising young footballers in the world.
Originally from Nigeria, Iheanacho lives in England to play for Leicester City. Here are a few less-known things about the rising star in the quick facts below.
Kelechi Iheanacho | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kelechi Promise Iheanacho |
| Birth Date | October 3, 1996 |
| Birth Place | Imo, Nigeria |
| Known as | Kelechi, Nacho |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Ethnicity | Unknown |
| Education | Unknown |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Father’s Name | James Iheanacho |
| Mother’s Name | Mercy Iheanacho |
| Siblings | Two brothers and a sister |
| Age | 27 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch (1.85m) |
| Weight | 82 kgs |
| Build | Lean and Athletic |
| Body Measurements | Unknown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye color | Dark Brown |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Active Years | 2011-present |
| Marital Status | Unknown |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Net Worth | 12 Million |
| Current Club/Team | Premier League club Leicester City, Nigeria national team |
| Position | Forward |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Trading Card, Home Kit Classic Figure |
| Last Update | October, 2024 |
Kelechi Iheanacho| Early Life, Family, and Education
Iheanacho was born on October 3, 1996, to Senior James Iheanacho and the late Mercy Iheanacho in Imo, Nigeria.
Kelechi is the third out of four children. Along with his parents, he has two brothers and a sister.
Growing up with the boys, the Iheanacho household was bustling with football-loving kids. Kelechi always played football with his two brothers.
They were all excellent at it, but his older brothers weren’t as determined and focused as he was.
Kelechi played football in the streets and at school with his brothers and a few of his friends.
To Kelechi, Football was all he could think about when he was little, and he focused a lot while playing while enjoying it simultaneously.
Kelechi was not just good at football but at academics too. He always came in the top three pupils list in Nursery and Primary School.
This made his parents happy as they focused more on his education than his football capabilities.
Later on, his family provided him with all the support he needed so that he could excel as a footballer when they saw his determination and understood that becoming a footballer was his destiny.
Age, Height, and Weight
Kelechi Iheanacho is 27 years old as of 2024. He has a well-maintained physique and tends to hit the gym most of the time.
Moreover, Kelechi falls on the taller side of the spectrum. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch, the forward has brilliant speed and undeniable talent.
Likewise, he weighs 82 kgs and has a solid athletic build, perfect for football.
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Kelechi Iheanacho | Early Career
Anybody who saw Kelechi play could not deny that he was born to play football. He was extraordinary in the field, and everyone saw that.
So, when he played for Nigeria in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he attracted the attention of many big-name European clubs, like Arsenal, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Porto, etc.
At the end of 2012, Kelechi Iheanacho traveled to Europe to talk with the Manchester City Football Club and possibly sign a deal.
He signed a pre-contract agreement and mentioned his intent to sign the contract formally on his 18th birthday.
In 2012, he received the Most Promising Talent of the Year 2013 by the Confederation of African Football. Kelechi became a part of Manchester City by joining the Manchester City Academy in 2015.
Iheanacho visited the US and even played in a few games for City before being a formal part of the team.
He scored in both his matches against Sporting Kansas City and Milan.
When the tour ended, he decided to train with the Columbus Crew until mid-October of the same year.
Due to legal obstacles like delays in obtaining the work visa, Kelechi could not play in England until early 2015.
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Way to Senior Squad: Manchester City
Iheanacho was injured only 11 minutes into the under-19 UFEA Youths League against Schalke 04.
After he recovered from it, he began representing Manchester City in under-21 at the end of the season.
Kelechi played for the FA Youth Cup and scored the goal for City but lost the match anyway.
In the 2014-15 Premier League International Cup, Kelechi scored the only destination that helped Manchester City defeat Porto.
Kelechi again participated in the pre-season tour of Manchester City to Australia, where he exhibited brilliant performance throughout the matches.
Because of this, he was promoted to the senior team of Manchester City.
The Nigerian debuted in his competitive match in the Premier League Season for the first time in 2015 when he replaced Raheem Sterling against Watford at the City of Manchester Stadium.
As a senior in a competition, Kelechi Iheanacho scored his first goal against Crystal Palace. It became the game’s only goal, and the City won the match.
Teenage Star Footballer’s Rise to Fame
Kelechi scored his first-ever hat trick in a match against Aston Villa in the FA Cup’s fourth round.
Kelechi was placed in the UFEA Champions League to replace an injured Samir Nasri. He scored in the match against Tottenham Hotspur.
Kelechi scored against Stoke City twice in a match, and his other memorable goal was in the Champions League semi-final match, where he appeared as a substitute and scored a goal.
All in all, Kelechi finished the 2015-16 season with eight goals in the Premier League. He also had the best goals-per-minute ratio of 93.9 minutes per goal.
Kelechi finished the season with 14 goals and five assists in just 35 appearances.
He only started 11 of these games, which makes his scores even better. That year, he finished as the third-highest goal scorer of the club.
Nearing the End with Manchester City
Kelechi started his 2016 season in September, playing against Manchester United. He played from the start and scored a goal while assisting for another one.
Kelechi scored his first European goal for Manchester United against Borussia Mönchengladbach and his second goal for the season.
He is one of the few players who scored ten goals in the Premier League before age 20.
The list includes Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Nicolas Anelka, Micheal Owen, and Romelu Lukaku.
Kelechi was also nominated for the Golden Boy Awards in 2016. Winners include Raheem Sterling, Sergio Agüero, and Lionel Messi.
Kelechi scored another goal in the Champions League that helped the 1-1 draw happen.
Further, he scored his final destination for the season and his last goal for Manchester City against Huddersfield in a 5-1 win.
Leicester City
The Premier League Club Leicester City signed Kelechi on a 5-year deal in August 2017. He was signed for an alleged fee of £25 million.
In his debut match for Leicester City, he played against arsenal and was defeated in the last minute 4-3 score.
His first score for the team came in a match against Leeds United in the EFL Cup. The game resulted in a tie.
Kelechi was also the first footballer in English football history to be given a goal score because of VAR, as he was incorrectly ruled off as offside on his second goal.
The goal helped Leicester City win over Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup. He started his 2021 season with the 2021 FA Community Shield against Manchester City.
You can find the latest news, player profile, detailed stats, and more information about Kelechi Ihenacho on the Whoscored website.
International Career of Kelechi
Kelechi started playing for his country Nigeria from the young age of 13. His first significant participation in an international competition was at the 2013 African U-17 Championship.
Kelechi showed off his brilliant skills as he scored a hat trick in a match against Botswana.
He dedicated his goal to his mother, who had unfortunately passed away two months before the game.
Iheanacho helped the team reach the competition’s finals, but they could not win against the Ivory Coast and eventually lost the match.
In the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Kelechi played a massive role in Nigeria. He also won the Golden Ball award, and Nigeria won the competition.
In the competition, Kelechi assisted for seen goals and scored six goals in total, including the one in the final.
He also played two games in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
In the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game, Kelechi started as a senior and part of a senior squad for the first time.
Likewise, he was also a part of the Nigerian National Team of 30 men in Russia’s 2018 World Cup.
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Kelechi Iheanacho | Personal Life, Net Worth, and Girlfriends
Iheanacho had a tough childhood; he dreamed of playing football and enjoyed doing so even in childhood but was not financially able to play or watch it properly.
In many incidents relating to his childhood, he has said that they had to pay to watch the Premier League, and despite having a TV, he could not watch it at home.
Furthermore, he often had to sneak inside the premises where they showed the game and watch it before discovering and kicking out of the place.
The Nigerian Superstar loves cars and drives a Range Rover. He also owns multiple cars like Mercedes in addition to the Range Rover.
Moreover, Kelecho lives in his luxurious home in Imo, Nigeria, during the offseason and in London during the match season.
He is rumored to be dating the reality TV star from the Nigerian Big Brother, Khloe Busayo, although we do not have any evidence.
Net Worth of Kelechi Iheanacho in Different Currencies
Here is the net worth of Kelechi lheanacho in different currencies, including cryptocurrency and the Pound.
| Currency | Net Worth |
| Euro | €10,238,820 |
| Pound Sterling | £8,789,820 |
| Australian Dollar | A$16,584,780 |
| Canadian Dollar | C$15,367,860 |
| Indian Rupee | ₹885,006,600 |
| BitCoin | ฿278 |
Social Media Presence:
Kelechi Iheanacho is quite active on social media. You can follow him via these links:
Instagram: 700k followers
Twitter: 340.8k followers
Some FAQs:
Is Kelechi Iheanacho married?
There is no evidence to claim this; We are unaware of his marital status.
What is Kelechi Iheanacho’s net worth?
Kelechi is a well-off footballer with an estimated net worth of 20.9 million euros.
How many goals did Kelechi Iheanacho score in Man City?
Kelechi Iheanacho scored eight goals overall in Man City.
When did Kelechi Iheanacho score his first hat trick?
Kelechi scored his first hattrick in the Premier League after striking thrice in Leicester City’s 5-0 obliteration of Sheffield United.
What is Kelechi Iheanacho’s market value?
According to the TransferMarkt website, Kelechi Iheanacho’s current market value is €20.00m.
What is Kelechi Iheanacho FIFA rating and FIFA Potential in FIFA 20, 21, and 22?
Kelechi Iheanacho’s overall rating in FIFA 20 was 74, potentially 80. His overall rating in FIFA 21 was 76, with a potential of 81. Likewise, his overall rating in FIFA 22 is 78, possibly 82.
