CAF praises Iwobi after reaching 100 Nigeria caps

The Confederation of African Football has called Alex Iwobi iconic. This came after the Fulham midfielder became only the fourth player to play 100 times for the Super Eagles. He reached this milestone during Nigeria's 2-1 friendly loss to Portugal on Wednesday.

Iwobi hit the landmark at the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria. This was Nigeria's last warm-up match before the FIFA World Cup.

CAF reacted to the Super Eagles’ social media post that celebrated Iwobi's achievement. They simply said, “Iwobi? Iconic.”

At 30, Iwobi joins an exclusive group of Nigerians. He is now tied with former captain Joseph Yobo for third place in the all-time appearance list. Only goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and current captain Ahmed Musa have more caps than him.

On the field, it was a tough evening for Eric Chelle’s team. Pedro Neto scored first for Portugal in the 23rd minute. Akor Adams equalized for Nigeria soon after. But Francisco Conceicao scored the winning goal, giving Roberto Martinez’s team a narrow victory. This defeat was Chelle’s first in regulation time since he took over. It ended an impressive 25-match unbeaten run with 16 wins and nine draws.

Despite the loss, Iwobi played well in midfield. His achievement brought him personal and national recognition. Speaking through the Nigeria Football Federation, Iwobi shared his pride in reaching this milestone, even though he has not won major trophies yet.

“I am proud to be where I am today; proud to wear the green-and-white. I have no regrets choosing Nigeria,” he said.

Iwobi, who played for England at youth level before choosing Nigeria, reflected on the trophies he missed out on. “Yes, I would have loved to win the AFCON and perhaps be with the Eagles at the FIFA World Cup that is about to kick off in a few days’ time, but no regrets,” he added.

He also mentioned that family members, including his uncle and Nigerian legend Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, helped him decide before he made his final choice. But he stressed that the decision was ultimately his.

Since making his senior debut in 2015, Iwobi has been a key player for the Super Eagles. He has played in several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and was important in Nigeria’s run to the 2023 AFCON final in Ivory Coast. With Ahmed Musa and Vincent Enyeama ahead of him on the all-time list, there is a chance he could climb higher in the future.