‎Nigerian Star Reveals Challenges of Choosing Super Eagles Over England - 'Sometimes the Lights Go Out'

‎Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi has shared some of the things that took him by surprise when he chose to play for the Super Eagles.

‎Iwobi, born in Lagos, moved to London with his family when he was four, before honing his football skills at the Arsenal academy and later played for the Premier League giants.

‎He would represent England at junior level but he opted to turn out for Nigeria at international level and not the Three Lions.

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‎However, having been accustomed to pristine pitches in England and well-planned national team programmes, Iwobi thought the same would apply in Nigeria but he was stunned by what he encountered.

‎"Playing for England and playing for Nigeria are two very different things," Iwobi said on the High Performance podcast. "In England, things are stricter. Whenever you’re at St George’s, or you’re at the hotel, no one’s allowed to come in."

‎“The schedule was strict, alongside the food and the sleep regime. In Nigeria now, I have to watch what I say," he went on.

‎"Sometimes, your flight is not booked properly, you have to do that yourself, and when you land, the people at the airport are not ready to pick you up.

‎“So, you have to sometimes make your own way. The hotels are okay, but sometimes the light goes out, and you don’t have anywhere to charge your phone.”

‎With all these challenges, does the Fulham midfielder regret choosing Nigeria over England?

‎The former Everton star admits it took a lot of convincing to accept Nigeria but it was an easy decision given his father, a former player, and his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha, a Nigerian legend, were involved.

‎"My uncle and my dad said to me to try Nigeria once. It took a lot of convincing at the time for me to try the U-23 side," added the 29-year-old.

‎“The pitches we played on had half grass, half astro-turfs and a bit of sand. The coaches were strict in the sense that if you miss a pass, you’re not just called out for your mistakes; you have to do a lap around the pitch.

‎“I have no regrets. I do love England, but I think because I grew up in a Nigerian household, it’s always been a part of me."

‎Iwobi has since gone on to earn 96 caps for Nigeria since making his debut in October 2015 and turned out for the Super Eagles at the 2018 World Cup as well as four Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025.

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