Al Ittihad forward George Ilenikhena has hinted he might get called up to the Super Eagles. This is ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau later this month, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
The 20-year-old seemed to confirm his loyalty to Nigeria after he posted a photo on his official Instagram page on Wednesday. In the picture, he wore a Super Eagles green kit and posed next to a large Nigerian eagle statue. The word “NIGERIA” stands out in the background. He captioned the post “Naija” and used Asake’s hit song, Gratitude, as background music.
The post caught the eye of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, leading to speculation that Ilenikhena could receive his first senior invitation to the national team. So far, no official call-up has been announced.
Ilenikhena was born in Lagos but moved to France at the age of three. He grew up in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine. His background allows him to represent both Nigeria and France, but his recent social media post suggests he wants to play for Nigeria at the senior international level.
He is having a great season with Al Ittihad, scoring six goals in seven games. This includes a brace that helped his team win 2-1 against Saudi Pro League champions Al Nassr.
His career began in France, where he came through the youth ranks of amateur side Antony Football Evolution before moving to Amiens in 2021. At just 15 years old, he made a name for himself by scoring 24 goals for Amiens’ Under-17 team in his first season. He later moved up to the senior team, scoring twice in 17 Ligue 2 games during the 2022/23 season.
In June 2023, Ilenikhena transferred to Belgium to join Royal Antwerp. He scored 14 goals in 50 matches across all competitions. It was here that he netted his first Champions League goal against Barcelona, helping Antwerp achieve their first-ever win in the competition. His performance led to a move to Monaco in July 2024, where he again scored against Barcelona in a 2-1 victory during the opening match of that season’s Champions League phase.
Ilenikhena played 51 matches for Monaco in all competitions, scoring 10 goals. He then made a big move to Al Ittihad in February 2026 for around €33 million.
Nigeria will kick off their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in Group L against Madagascar on Friday, September 25. They will then travel to face Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, September 29. The Super Eagles also have a friendly match against Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, October 6. Coach Chelle’s team aims to start the qualifying campaign strong after missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup and finishing third at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
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