Having graced some of football’s grand stages, Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi emphasizes the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) as a special experience that celebrates African culture.
The tournament will feature 24 teams vying for the prestigious title in Morocco, and Iwobi is set to represent his home country of Nigeria. The team is determined to overcome a recent setback, having lost to Ivory Coast in the 2023 final.
With Afcon, you get to celebrate Africa through football, Iwobi stated in an interview. You see different cultures, how people dress, and we even play music in the changing rooms to celebrate our tradition.\
Nigeria aims for redemption after missing out on the last two World Cups, a disappointment Iwobi admits has fueled their aspirations for Afcon: We owe it to ourselves to make it right. There's no better way to improve than winning this tournament, he declared.
Nigeria has a rich history in the Afcon, having clinched the trophy three times, with the last victory coming in 2013. Iwobi still recalls the heartbreak of their recent loss but acknowledges the brilliance of Ivory Coast's Sébastien Haller, who scored the winning goal after overcoming personal battles with cancer.
Pushing past their lingering disappointment, Iwobi and his teammates see this tournament as an opportunity to forge a new narrative. Iwobi, who switched international allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2015, looks forward to inspiring the next generation: You're Nigerian at the end of the day, and you will get loved regardless, he shared.
Despite a discussion in football circles about Afcon's perceived status, Iwobi believes the tournament deserves greater respect: The awareness is growing, and there are many great talents and nations contributing to this diversity in football.\
If Nigeria triumphs, Iwobi plans to share the joy with his family back home, saying, Winning it would feel like royalty. I want to experience that.\
