Leiria, Portugal | By Prime Brief Media
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has described Alex Iwobi as "iconic" after the Fulham midfielder became only the fourth player to reach 100 appearances for the Super Eagles during Nigeria's 2-1 friendly defeat to Portugal.
Iwobi brought up the milestone at the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, where Nigeria faced Portugal in their final warm-up match. CAF, reacting to the Super Eagles' social media post celebrating the achievement, responded simply: "Iwobi? Iconic." The 30-year-old joins an exclusive group of Nigerians to have reached the landmark, drawing level with former captain Joseph Yobo in third place on the all-time appearance list. Only goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and current skipper Ahmed Musa have earned more caps for the men's national team.
Speaking through the Nigeria Football Federation, Iwobi expressed pride at reaching the landmark. "I am proud to be where I am today; proud to wear the green-and-white. I have no regrets choosing Nigeria," he said. The midfielder, who represented England at youth level before committing to Nigeria, added: "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, but no regrets."
Since his senior debut in 2015, Iwobi has been one of the most consistent figures in the Super Eagles setup, featuring at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and playing a key role in Nigeria's run to the 2023 AFCON final in Ivory Coast.