Kelechi Iheanacho probably would have returned to the Nigeria setup for the November international break had the Celtic forward not been injured.
Celtic’s summer signing has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury during his side’s Europa League tie against Sturm Graz last month.
The 29-year-old has 58 Nigerian caps to his name, but has only played 34 minutes for his country in 2025 due to his limited game time before moving to the champions of Scotland on a free transfer.
But Iheanacho was left powerless on Sunday evening, as Nigeria suffered World Cup heartbreak at the hands of DR Congo.
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Kelechi Iheanacho won’t be going to the 2026 World Cup after Nigeria’s exit
As much as it helps Celtic that Iheanacho will have a football-free summer in 2026, you have to feel for the player because he won’t be able to play on football’s biggest stage.
Nigeria were beaten on penalties by DR Congo, and as a result, they couldn’t book their play-off ticket that would have taken them a step closer to the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in America, Canada and Mexico.
Whilst it’s heartbreaking for one Celtic player, it’s delight for another, because Michel-Ange Balikwisha and his Congo side are closer than ever to earning that golden World Cup ticket.
Balikwisha dealt with the pressure and dispatched his nerve-racking spot kick during the shootout, and you presume that, had Iheanacho been fit, he probably would have stepped up for his country as well.
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle accuses DR Congo of ‘voodoo’
The last time Nigeria qualified for the World Cup was in 2018, and a fresh-faced Iheanacho was involved, but he will be 33 when the next one comes around.
But moments after DR Congo’s shootout win, emotions were high, and both benches clashed with one another.
However, this wasn’t your usual handbags, as Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle explained it stemmed from him accusing the opposition of doing ‘voodoo.’
“During all the penalty, the guy of Congo did some Voodoo,” claimed Chelle. “Every time, every time, every time. So, this is why I was a little nervous after him.
On what he saw: “Something like that (gestures with his hand by waving something). I don’t know if it’s a water or something like that.”
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