The former Manchester City man had a lot of top individual moments in 2021, but it was his teammate’s performance that stood out for him
Super Eagles and Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has chosen his teammate Youri Tielemans’ screamer against Chelsea in the finals of the FA Cup as his highlight of 2021.
Iheanacho had an incredible first half of 2021. After a poor start to the 2020/21 season, the 25-year-old forward started getting some playing time halfway through the season.
Due to his brilliant displays, he earned himself a place in the first team, and the Foxes’ faithful hardly felt the absence of first-team players- James Maddison and Harvey Barnes who were injured.
The former Manchester City was instrumental in the run-up to the Foxes FA Cup triumph, scoring four goals in three consecutive matches. Two of which were against Manchester United.
Iheanacho finished as Leicester City’s highest goalscorer for the 2020/21 season.
He continued with the same brilliance at the beginning of the 2021/22 season when he scored from the spot just ten minutes after his 79th-minute introduction to help Leicester win the Community Shield against Man City.
However, to him, none of his heroics matched that of Tielemans, as he acknowledged his Belgian teammate’s screamer, which ensured that the Foxes reigned superior in England’s oldest competition after 52 years.
“My personal highlight was Youri [Tielemans’] screamer (vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup Final),” Iheanacho told LCFC. “I was looking at the ball from when it left his foot until it went into the net.”
“The feeling when the final whistle went, I couldn’t believe it, but it was a good feeling, and I think everyone at Leicester City Football Club, and Leicester city as well, we really felt that was one moment that everyone loved.”
Iheanacho will hope to have more of the same in 2022, starting with the Super Eagles quest for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.