Kelechi Iheanacho (born 3 October 1996) is a 27-year-old Nigerian professional football player who earns a weekly salary of £60,000 per week and has an estimated net worth of ₦4.7 billion. He is best known as a forward for Premier League club Leicester City and the Nigeria national team.
Nigeria has produced many legends who have been making a significant impact in global football and among them is Kelechi Iheanacho who has made a remarkable impact in the football industry since the inception of his career.
Having been recognized as one of the wealthiest Nigerian footballers, Iheanacho has an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion. Given that he is still in his prime, his net worth will significantly increase in the future. More than that, Kelechi lives a luxury lifestyle, which many can only dream of.
Kelechi Iheanacho Biography and Profile Summary
- Full Name: Kelechi Promise Iheanacho
- Date of Birth: October 3, 1996
- Age: 27 years old
- Place of Birth: Owerri
- Nationality: Nigerian
- State Of Origin: Owerri, Imo State
- Position: Forward
- Parents: Elder James Iheanacho (Father) and Late Mercy Iheanacho (Mother)
- Marital Status: Single
- Net worth: ₦4.7 billion
- Profession: Football
- Active Years: 2011 to date
Kelechi Iheanacho Is From Imo State, Nigeria
Kelechi Iheanacho was born on October 3, 1996, to Elder James Iheanacho and Late Mercy Iheanacho. He hails from Obogwe in Imo State, located in the Southeastern part of Nigeria. The football star spent his childhood in Imo state, Nigeria, alongside his three siblings. He made it evident that his destiny lies on the football field as he played on the streets with his peers from his youth and in his school.
Kelechi Iheanacho lost his mother, Late Mrs. Mercy Iheanacho, a teacher at the age of fourteen, leaving him with his father and siblings. His father was a trader known for trading in building materials in Owerri, Imo State. Presently, Elder James Iheanacho has left his business to become the young star’s contact agent and manager.
The educational background of Kelechi Iheanacho remains unknown, but he revealed that during his elementary and secondary school levels, he remained at the top three of his class. He made his football career sound louder than his academic career, as his career is mostly known by people.
He is the Most Popular Among His Siblings
The Nigeria footballer came from a middle-class Igbo family. He is the third son among the three sons of Elder James Iheanacho. However, his football talent has made him the most popular among his siblings. He grew up with a sister and three brothers. And, although nothing much is known about Kelechi Iheanacho’s brothers, it is known that his immediate elder brother is presently a businessman.
According to unverified sources, his elder brother also towed the same path as his father and is doing well for himself as a businessman. He deals mainly with building materials. Kelechi Iheanacho’s only sister, who goes by the social media name Chibless is a social media figure. The beautiful sister of the footballer has been described as a fashionista who can not spare a minute without flaunting her lovely dress and gorgeous physique on social media.
The Early Years Of Kelechi Iheanacho Before His Big Break In Football
The young football star has touched all professional football angles, having played on the national and international levels. Kelechi Iheanacho’ has achieved success in his football career through hard work, constant development, and improvements. The young footballer was brilliant, which made his father oppose his interest in football to focus more on his education. His father went as far as restricting him from participating in his school football championship leagues and flogged him on different occasions for playing football in the evening instead of reading his books and solving his assignments.
However, Kelechi Iheanacho’s teacher took upon himself the responsibility of seeking his father’s consent for him to participate in the school football matches. The football star went for the competition on his father’s approval and made his father and the school proud of his talent. His father started believing that his son had a place in the world of football as he returned with the golden ball award medals and other gifts from the then Imo State Commissioner of Sports. He further registered Kelechi Iheanacho with the Lagos State Taiye Football Academy, Owerri branch.
The young footballer made his name heard as it wasn’t long before he rose to the captain’s position in the club in their national matches. He won his father’s full support as he made his team win one of their major national youth tournament, which was played in Abuja. These exceptional skills also attracted the attention of the Nigeria Football Federation and other young talent hunters to the young Iheanacho.
A Look at the Clubs Kelechi Iheanacho Has Played For
Having the skills that it takes for one to be at the peak of success in football, Kelechi Iheanacho has found himself in top football clubs. Since his big break in the field, he has played for a few top English football clubs. The football clubs that he has played for include:
Manchester City
Kelechi Iheanacho found his way to England to negotiate a contract with Manchester City. He succeeded and was listed among the players that will play in a pre-season match in the United States, despite not being officially a Manchester City player. The forward scored in two games during the tour, which bought him a training space with an American professional football club in Columbus, Ohio, until October. He made his first appearance with Manchester City under 19 UEFA Youth League match against Schalke. He got an injury that only allowed him to play for just 11 minutes before being substituted.
After treating his injury, Kelechi Iheanacho appeared in the FA Youth Cup final as he is now eligible to play for Manchester City in the U 19 youth league and U 21 youth league. In a pre-season tour to Australia in July 2015, Kelechi Iheanacho assisted Raheem Sterling to score one of the winning goals against Roma in the 2015 International Champions Cup and helped the same Raheem Sterling to score against Vietnam national team. Also, in the last game against VFB, Kelechi Iheanacho substituted Stuttgart and scored in the match. This victory automatically bought him a position in Manchester City senior team. He played his first match with the senior team as a substitute in a game against West Bromwich Albion and Watford at the Etihad Stadium.
At Manchester City, he signed a 5-year contract that was worth $13 million. He started earning huge in his career in 2015 after signing a contract with Manchester City, in which he earned £85,000 per week. His monthly earnings from 2014-2018 were £340,000, which is a huge fortune when converted to naira. He scored 14 goals in 35 appearances in the 2015/2016 premier league season while in the club.
Leicester City
On August 3, 2017, Kelechi Iheanacho was transferred to a premier league club known as Leicester City. The contract was supposed to be a loan transfer but was countered by Elder James Iheanacho, the young star’s agent and manager. The five years contract is expected to accrue £25 million to his net worth. It didn’t take the left-footed forward a long time as he scored his first goal for Leicester in a match against Leeds United on October 24, 2017. His second goal in a game against Fleetwood Town was almost canceled but was approved through VAR.
Kelechi Iheanacho, in all his matches between March to April 2020, scored a total of 12 goals in 10 games. He scored in his first premier league hat-trick in a match against Sheffield United, a 5-0 win on March 14, 2021. He took Leicester to a 3-1 victory against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals taking the club to the semi-final game. Iheanacho’s outstanding skills spoke loud for him in the club as he signed a new deal of additional three years with Leicester, which will allow him to play in the club till 2024.
The skilled forward got an extension of 3 years in Leicester City with an additional annual salary of £3,120,000 and a weekly pay of £60,000. The total pay for the three years extension will amount to £9,360,000. The attacker scored the winning goal of 1-0 with Southampton in the semi-final of the FA Cup. This broke a long-term record for the club in FA Cup since 1969.
Highlights of Iheanacho’s Career Salary
| S/N | Clubs Played | Duration | Salary |
| 1 | Taiye Football Academy | 2011 – 2014 | Not Disclosed |
| 2 | Manchester City Under 18 | 2014 – 2015 | Not Disclosed |
| 3 | Manchester City | 2014 – 2018 | £85,000 Per Week |
| 4 | Leicester City | 2018 – Present | £60,000 per week |
Kelechi Iheanacho Also Plays For The Nigerian Team
From his performance in Taye Academy Owerri, the academy picked Kelechi Iheanacho to represent Nigeria in the U14 level of the National team. He made his extraordinary contributions by performing well in his matches. Kelechi Iheanacho was among the first 11 teams that represented Nigeria in the Under 17 FIFA World Cup in 2013. The football genius scored a hat-trick in Morrocco when he played for Nigeria in the African Under 17 championship. He dedicated the goals to his late mother, who died about eight weeks before the tournament. His skills during the U 17 FIFA World cup in 2013 attracted the attention of some European giant clubs like Arsenal, Porto, and Sporting CP.
The Footballer Is Also A Brand Ambassador
Kelechi Iheanacho has continued to make waves since the inception of his professional career. Aside from his football contract, salaries, and incentives, the Nigerian footballer has bolstered his net worth by signing lucrative endorsement deals. Recently, in June 2021, alongside his co-national team player, Ndidi Wilfred, Kelechi was unveiled as brand ambassador for Multichoice Nigeria.
The players signed the endorsement deal on June 21, 2021, for its DStv compact package. However, the duration and financial wealth of his contract with the brand have not been disclosed. Nevertheless, it is believed such a deal would add significantly to his net worth.
The Luxurious Life Kelechi Iheanacho’s Wealth Splashes on Him
It is inevitable for high-earning football stars to live a low-profile life as they earn huge salaries and mouth-watery deals. Just like other high-earning professional footballers, Kelechi Iheanacho is seen living his life to the fullest. The Nigerian-born forward, who is among the Nigerian top list players, is usually spotted rocking expensive designer accessories.
Kelechi Iheanacho has a thing for fast cars and luxurious houses, which is evident in his salary as a footballer and other sources of income. The football star has a flair for luxury cars and doesn’t hesitate in getting anyone that attracts his attention as long as he can afford it.
Some of the Exotic Cars Found in His Garage
Kelechi Iheanacho has an excellent taste for flashy and fast cars. Taking a look at his garage and car collections, his preference for automobiles is quite impeccable. Though the date that he bought the cars is unknown, it is known that he acquired them in his active years in his football career.
BMW i8
His BMW i8 is worth N106.5 million, which has an ARAI mileage of 47.45kmpl, an engine displacement of 1499, a total of 3 cylinders, and a max power of 228bhp@5800rpm. The ride is designed with an automatic climate control system and exotic interiors.
Mercedes c300
Kelechi Iheanacho also added a Mercedes c300 worth N17 million, equipped with a 2.0L Inline 4 turbo engine, 9G_TRONIC 9_speed automatic transmission.
Range Rover Sport
He has also been spotted with the 2021 model of Range Rover Sport. The footballer is a lover of good cars and is ready to spend on having them all on his fleet.
Kelechi Iheanacho Has Mansions Within and Outside Nigeria
Because of the fame, the young Nigerian footballer has attracted to himself through his skills on the football pitch and the attributed wealth he has made, and it is now of public interest to know how he invested and spent the money. The footballer doesn’t just acquire a house but takes his time to get mansions that fit his worth.
Kelechi Iheanacho’s mansion in Manchester stands out as the best as it is valued at N921,630,488. The villa is fully furnished with modern facilities, houses more than eight rooms with a luxurious swimming pool.
The footballer didn’t neglect to have one in Lagos, Nigeria, as it is confirmed that he has entirely constructed a duplex in Lagos, which has a total worth of N10,127,916,520. It is a house fully guarded with expensive bullet prove doors and windows and luxurious interiors that can stand the taste of time.