Kelechi Iheanacho: How i was nicknamed 'Mr FA Cup'

• Published date: 15 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Returning to the scoring way in the Third Round of the FA Cup for Leicester City against Gillingham has rushed back the memory of the Nigerian attacker's exploit for City. Kelechi Iheanacho marks eight years in the English domestic league, with another classical goal in the FA Cup.

That's now 11 goals for the club in the competition, the third-best record, only trailing to Arthur Chandler and Arthur Rowley, both on 14.

Iheanacho provided the talking points from Leicester City's 1-0 win over Gillingham scoring when it mattered. He found the net, firing a loose ball into the top corner to prevent what would have been the upset of the round, with 79 places between the sides. The city had to endure wet and windy weather on a bad pitch.

The Super Eagles attacker looked back on his fortune in the Cup which had earned him 'Mr FA Cup' nickname among his colleagues and the gaffer.

'I can't recall when it started but whenever we are talking about FA Cup games, the talks are all about my goals and it stuck on me.'

FA CUP GLORY

He could not help but recalls the gong and glory in England's most prestigious domestic competitions.

The summer of 2017 brought his move from Manchester City to King Power Stadium, following 21 goals in 64 games for Man City, joining national team-mate Wilfred Ndidi in the Midlands.

The forward already felt a connection to Leicester following the Club's extraordinary Premier League title of 2015/16.

Iheanacho and co. would soon be creating their own unforgettable moments, etching their names into Leicester City folklore with a historic first-ever FA Cup triumph.

'Everything changed at Manchester City so I had to find somewhere else,' Iheanacho admits. 'There were a couple of options and clubs, but Leicester City was the one for me.

'It's crazy because when I was playing at Man City, I supported Leicester as well in the season they won the league because it was fantastic what they did. When they won the trophy, I was celebrating, I was happy.

'I thought it would be a good move for me to go there and a place where I would enjoy my football. It's a family club with lovely people. My family and everyone around me supported it and said it would be a good place to go.

'He (Wilfred Ndidi) came in January that season, so I knew he was there. I didn't get to speak to him, but knowing my friend was there was nice. If I needed any support or anything, I knew he would tell me.

'Winning the FA Cup like that, it is a big memory for the whole Club and the whole city of...