Former Golden Eaglets captain Kelechi Nwakali made his English Football League debut on Saturday, October 26, as Barnsley secured a solid 2-0 away victory over Shrewsbury Town in League One.
Nwakali, who captained Nigeria to victory at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup, finally appeared in league action since his transfer to the League One club.
That victorious squad also included stars like Victor Osimhen, now with Galatasaray, and Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan, among others.
While Nwakali was named the tournament’s most valuable player, his youth-level success has yet to translate to a standout senior career.
Despite high expectations, his journey has seen him move through clubs in Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain before returning to England with Barnsley.
Barnsley cited his lack of fitness due to the missed preseason as the reason for his delayed league debut.
Is this the turning point for Kelechi Nwakali?
However, he made his first league appearance on Saturday, coming off the bench for Luca Connell in the final minute of the match.
Barnsley’s goals came courtesy of Jon Russell, who scored just before half-time, and Max Watters, who extended the lead at the beginning of the second half to ensure the away win over Shrewsbury.
The 26-year-old Nwakali will now be aiming for more minutes on the pitch as he works towards full fitness and regular league appearances.
Currently, Barnsley sit in 7th place in the League One standings, with 22 points from 13 games.
