Iwobi on the World Cup
Super Eagles and Nigeria forward, Alex Iwobi, is quite assured that the Nigeria senior men’s team will not only do better than her predecessors at the World Cup, but also may do well enough to bring home the trophy.
Speaking to the CNN Sport News team, Iwobi did not hold back letting them know that this squad has a lot to prove, and that they will, come June:
“The way we qualified in the group made us very confident,” Iwobi told CNN Sport. “We’ve played against some big teams, some big countries, so we are very confident that we can go far.”
Despite all the mishaps that has plagued the Nigeria side in every World Cup Nigeria has attended, Iwobi is confident that Nigeria will progress past a Lionel Messi led Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.
The player also let out that winning the Cup is one topic he and the team have discussed a couple of times and it isn’t too far a goal to set as they already have their eyes on GOLD.
“Of course, we’ve mentioned it and talked about it so many times in training, on the coach, in the hotel room, But we will take it step by step. Our coach always reminds us that we’re not there yet. We need to prepare right. We’ve done well to get this far, so just be relaxed, be cool and wait for when the times comes… It’s always been a dream to play in the biggest competition and there’s no bigger competition than the World Cup to me.”
— Iwobi
Family
If you didn’t know this before now, Alex Iwobi is the nephew of Super Eagles legend and PSG and Bolton Wanderers top-gun, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha.
Iwobi opened up about how he and his family used to go up to Bolton just to watch the former Super Eagles man play.
“My favorite [memory] is probably just watching him in training, just watching how he is. Everyone knows what he’s like on the pitch but to actually see what he does in training when I was younger used to fascinate me … he’s always been a role model.”
Iwobi recalls his family going ballistic whenever Okocha played, whether they were watching it live or on their TV set.
On if his family will be doing just the same when he is in action for Nigeria at the World Cup, Iwobi replied:
“It depends where they are. If they’re in the stadium, they’ll be relaxed and cool. If they’re at home, they’ll be screaming and all the neighbors will hear.”
Farewell, Wenger
Opportunities like the one Wenger gave to Iwobi do not come around everyday. The former Arsenal manger, handed Iwobi his first start for the Gunners at age 18, and since then the player has been with the team, though his performances have not been up to par until Wenger’s last game with the team where Iwobi shone brightest to bid the coach farewell in style.
“I was very young, I was like a scholar. He was always saying to me to enjoy your football, express yourself, and if you make a mistake just continue and be positive. Everyone makes mistakes, it’s how they deal with it and you just have to keep going. That’s the best advice he’s given me.
“The club without Arsene is going to be strange… He deserves the recognition that he should get... We are going to do the best for him until the end of the season.”
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