Kelechi Nwakali

Kelechi Nwakali Biography / Profile

Kelechi Nwakali was born in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, on June 5th, 1998. He is a Nigerian professional footballer and plies his trade as an attacking midfielder for Portuguese side, FC Porto, on loan from Premier League club Arsenal.

Kelechi Nwakali Age

Kelechi Nwakali is 26 years old.

Kelechi Nwakali Early Life

Nwakali grew up in his hometown of Owerri. Along with his siblings, he frequently assisted his mother in her garri business which along with his father's business helped sustain the family. He also participated in street football which also featured other kids from the community. He joined the Diamond Football Academy which assisted him turn pro.

Kelechi Nwakali Career

In 2013 Nwakali while a star at the Diamond Football Academy was invited to the Nigerian U-17 team to the FIFA World Cup. He however failed to make the team. Two years later in 2015, he captained the U-17 side to victory at the FIFA World Cup in Chile where he was named the player of the tournament.

His talent was immediately obvious, and it wasn’t long before Arsenal of England were being linked with both the teenager and his teammate Samuel Chukwueze. Then 18 years of age, Nwakali was signed by the North London side in August 2016 on a N4.9M per-week deal. Immediately after signing for Arsenal, he was sent out on loan to MVV Maastricht in the Netherlands. He spent a season with the Dutch side. Nwakali has also played on loan at VVV-Venlo.

The Nigeria youth international teamed up with the De Geusselt outfit, MVV Maastricht, for second time from Arsenal in an effort to gain regular playing time. The young star was on parade for Dutch Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo for the first part for the season but was limited to game time with just nine league appearances and a goal to his name.

After two seasons on loan in Holland, he joined FC Porto of Portugal in June 2018 on yet another loan spell. He welcomed his loan transfer from Arsenal to FC Porto, saying he is delighted to join “the best club in Portugal”.

Nwakali has said that he will feature in every game the Super Eagles will play beginning with the September 7th 2018 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Seychelles. Disclosing this on his Instagram page, Nwakali stated that he is nursing no ill-feeling for being dropped from Nigeria’s World Cup team to the Russia 2018 World Cup competition, insisting that, “that is how God wants it to be. I will play every game the Super Eagles would play henceforth until the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals.”

Kelechi Nwakali Personal Life

In July 2016, Nwakali and his elder brother, Chidiebere, who is also a professional footballer, were left in critical conditions, after they was attacked by suspected cultists at Federal University of Technology, Owerri. The hoodlums made away with valuables, including a large sum of money, and destroyed two cars belonging to the oldest of the Nwakali brothers, who was at Kelechi’s side during his trip to Arsenal to broker a deal.

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