Super Eagles: Eric Chelle keeps an eye on this French-Nigerian from Ligue 1

With just a few months to go before the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the name George Ilenikhena is making waves behind the scenes of the Nigerian national team. His performances with AS Monaco have caught the attention of the Super Eagles coach. Eric Chelle traveled to watch the young forward during the match between the Principality club and Marseille (3-0) on Sunday, April 13, in France's Ligue 1.

Born in Lagos in 2006, George Ilenikhena moved to France at the age of three. He began his professional career at Amiens, becoming the youngest scorer in Ligue 2 history at 16 years and 147 days. Transferred to Royal Antwerp in 2023, he made a name for himself by scoring against FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, thus becoming the young French scorer of the competition. In 2024, he joined AS Monaco.

In September 2024, he scored against FC Barcelona in the Champions League opener, dethroning Kylian Mbappé to become the youngest scorer in AS Monaco's Champions League history at 18 years and 34 days. He has 3 goals and 2 assists this season in France's Ligue 1.

Despite holding dual French-Nigerian nationality, Ilenikhena has yet to be called up to the national team. The Nigerian Football Federation, aware of his potential, is expected to initiate discussions soon to bring him to the Super Eagles.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.