Playing for Nigeria still amazes me - Iwobi

Alex Iwobi, Arsenal FC and Super Eagles forward, says he is still amazed that he has started playing for the Nigerian senior team.


Speaking on Thursday, Iwobi urged Nigerians to forget the inability of the team to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations. Instead, he called for concentration on qualifying for Russia 2018.

Iwobi, who came on as a substitute in the last 2017 Nations Cup qualification match, which the Eagles lost in Egypt, stated that the FIFA World Cup is the biggest championship and that Nigeria surely must be there in 2018.

“We are such a big country, we believed we could do well but unfortunately we lost to Egypt. So, we were unable to qualify for the African Cup of Nations,” he said.

“Qualifying for the World Cup is the biggest one and everyone would want to participate in it.”

Iwobi said that he had not yet recovered from the pleasant surprise of been an integral part of the Super Eagles of Nigeria early in his career.

“I will love to be at the World Cup too but right now, playing for my national team, I am still amazed,” he said. “To play in the World Cup will be a great feeling… to be able to play among world class players.”

Iwobi made his Super Eagles debut on October 8, 2015, replacing Ahmed Musa in the 57th minute of a 2-0 friendly defeat to DR Congo in Vise, Belgium.