The 30 year old striker is back in the squad after more than a year away and defends his move to Turkey’s second division. His goals for Bursaspor earned him the call from Eric Chelle.
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Kelechi Iheanacho says nothing has dimmed his love for the Super Eagles as he prepares for Tuesday’s friendly against Russia in Nizhny Novgorod. The 30 year old is back in the squad after more than a year away, and he spoke to reporters from camp.
Iheanacho came through Nigeria’s age-grade teams, from the Under-12s all the way to the senior side. “I’m not coming to the national team because of anybody,” he said, adding that passion for the game is what brings him back.
He says he would turn out for the Eagles in any format if he was invited, even five a side. The dream of playing for Nigeria, he adds, belongs to every Nigerian player, and he has lived it for a long time.
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The Bursaspor Question
Many fans were surprised when Iheanacho left Celtic after helping them win the Scottish league and cup double last season. He ended up at Bursaspor in the Turkish second division, a move plenty of supporters questioned.
Iheanacho has no regrets. He says football is the same wherever you play it, and that the league is better than people think, with a number of Nigerians playing in it. He insists it’s a good league and says he is enjoying it.
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Goals Earn the Call
The move has paid off in the most direct way possible. Iheanacho has 11 goals and two assists in eight games and leads the scoring charts in the league.
That form pushed Eric Chelle to name him in the squad for the Russia game. For a team that was beaten 3-0 in Bissau and is missing several regulars, a striker in this kind of form is a welcome option.
Can he carry that finishing into a Nigeria shirt? It’s the obvious question, and a friendly in Russia is a low-pressure place to start answering it.
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📌 Did You Know?
- Iheanacho won the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup with Nigeria and was named the tournament’s best young player.
- He joined Bursaspor on a free transfer on July 17, 2026, signing a three-year contract.
- Bursaspor climbed out of the fourth division in 2024/25 and dominated the third division in 2025/26. They now want a return to the Turkish top flight.
- Celtic had an option to extend his deal, but the deadline passed. Manager Martin O’Neill later said he wanted Iheanacho to stay.
- Iheanacho made 196 Premier League appearances, scoring 42 goals and providing 27 assists.
- He joined Celtic in September 2025 after mutually ending his Sevilla contract, following a loan spell at Middlesbrough in the Championship.
