Nigeria is gradually rebuilding her football back to glory days but one of the biggest highlights of this process is the bond between Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi.
The 20-year-old’s have been part of everything good for the Super Eagles in the last one year and their commitment to serving fatherland is such a joy to witness.
Alex Iwobi is a regular for North London club Arsenal while Kelechi Iheanacho is an important part of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and interestingly they’ve developed into such good friends since their adventure in the national team.
Iwobi, who is nephew to Nigeria’s football legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has invited Iheanacho to the Gunners training ground on few occasions and enjoyed moments with the former Under-17 lad on social media.
“Alex and Kelechi are very good friends and not rivals. They swapped kits when Arsenal played Manchester City at the beginning of the season and have been roommates on international duty for Nigeria,” a source told Goal.
“Kelechi even sent birthday wishes to Alex who turned 20 [on Wednesday].
“Alex is not in competition with Kelechi as they play in different positions and there is room for both of them in a team.
“Those who are close to Alex will tell you he is humble, a team player and has a good heart and wishes every player progress and success, that is the way he was brought up.”
Both players had a breakthrough season for their premier league teams in the 2015/16 campaign and helped their respective sides qualify for the lucrative UEFA Champions League competition.
In the new season, Iwobi and Iheanacho have started from where they left off last term and got fans singing their praises to high heavens with three assists each already with Iheanacho scoring twice.
Iheanacho’s goal for Nigeria against Tanzania in the final match of the 2017 African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier was voted CNN’s Goal of the Week and he didn’t stop there as he and Iwobi scored both goals as the Super Eagles kickoff their 2018 World Cup campaign on a high with a 2-1 win against Zambia in faraway Ndola. 
There are fears in Nigeria that the team may struggle to pick a World Cup ticket in Group B which includes Algeria, Cameroon, and Zambia but after the victory in Ndola, there seems to be hope creeping into the hearts of the fans.
Iwobi and Iheanacho enjoy playing with each other which is easily seen on the pitch. Both players ran the Zambian defence into the ground whenever they have the opportunity and the Chipolopolo were wary of the duo.
Since, the Super Eagles won the 2013 African Nations Cup (AFCON) they’ve not been able to carry through any form of dominance as they have failed to qualify for two consecutive Nations Cup but with the race for Russia 2018 heating up, Nigeria needs its best hands on deck and the super combo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi looks like the perfect tonic to shoot the three-time African Champions to her sixth World Cup.
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