Iheanacho Returns to Super Eagles After Over a Year Out
Kelechi Iheanacho is set to return to the Super Eagles after more than a year away from international football, with head coach Éric Chelle including the in-form striker in Nigeria’s 24-man squad for next month’s international friendly against Russia.
Iheanacho last featured for Nigeria in May 2025, when he came on during the Super Eagles’ 2-2 draw with Jamaica at the Brentford Community Stadium in London.
His long-awaited return comes after a blistering start to life at Turkish second-tier club Bursaspor, where the 29-year-old has rediscovered his scoring touch.
Iheanacho has scored nine goals and provided two assists in seven appearances in the Turkish 1. Lig this season, including goals in each of his first seven league games. His latest goal came in Bursaspor’s 2-2 draw with Erokspor on Sunday.
The former Manchester City and Leicester City forward moved to Bursaspor in the summer after helping Celtic win the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup during the 2025/26 season.
He chose the Turkish club after being attracted by its ambition to return to the Super Lig and eventually compete in European football.
Iheanacho’s return is one of the major talking points in Chelle’s squad for the October 6 friendly against Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi will lead the squad, while goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel and Benjamin Fredricks, midfielder Raphael Onyedika and forward Moses Simon are also included.
Chelle has also opened the door to several new faces, with Finland-based goalkeeper Samuel James and Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe receiving their first invitations to the senior national team.
Ikorodu City goalkeeper Michael Atata is another new inclusion, while Kenneth Igboke, Isaac James, Emmanuel Fernandez, Abdullahi Bewene, Chibuzo Nwoko, Stephen Michael, Igor Wilfred, Ridwan Abdulrasaq, Suleiman Mubarak and Aderemi Adeoye are also part of the 24-man squad.
The attacking options alongside Iheanacho, Simon and Akor Adams include Peter Edokpolor, Abubakar Umar and Abdullahi Umar.
For Iheanacho, the Russia friendly represents an opportunity to mark his return to the Super Eagles after an absence of more than 16 months and underline the form that has made him one of the most prolific Nigerian forwards in Europe this season.
Nigeria will face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, October 6.
