WATCH: “Your home always” – Spain’s Granada celebrate Nigeria’s goal-king with heartfelt gesture
Granada CF have paid tribute to Super Eagles forward Odion Ighalo during their preseason match against Al-Wehda, Soccernet.ng reports.
The La Liga club honoured Ighalo with a special gift as they faced his current team in a friendly, which ended in a 1-1 draw before Granada secured a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout.
Ighalo, who previously played for Granada, showed he still got the magic touch by scoring against his former team during the match.
Before the game, he was presented with a framed jersey featuring his name and the number of appearances he made, a gesture of appreciation from Granada.
The club’s official account shared a video of Ighalo’s warm welcome on X with the message, “Esta siempre será tu casa, @ighalojude,” which translates to “This will always be your home, @ighalojude.”
❤️🏟️ Esta siempre será tu casa, @ighalojude.#𝙀𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙖 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/5cdPpD4eMi
— Granada CF ❤️⚪️ (@GranadaCF) August 9, 2024
In the video, Ighalo was called over during his warm-up and presented with the framed jersey encased in glass by a representative of the club.
The moment was a poignant reminder of his successful four-year stint with Granada, where he was on loan throughout his time with the team.
Top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Ighalo later posed with the gift and invited his Al-Wehda teammates to join him for a photo.
During his time at Granada, the former Manchester United striker made 132 appearances, scoring 38 goals and providing six assists.
Since leaving Granada, Ighalo has played for several clubs, including Udinese, Watford, and Manchester United, and he is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Wehda.