Nigerian midfielder, Alex Iwobi has reflected on the Super Eagles’ journey at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing the tournament as a moment of recovery, unity and renewed national pride as he returns to club football.
Speaking after Nigeria’s AFCON campaign in Morocco, Iwobi praised the collective spirit of the squad and reserved special admiration for head coach Eric Chelle, revealing that the coach became emotional while addressing the players for the final time.
Although Nigeria did not lift the AFCON trophy, Iwobi believes the Super Eagles regained something equally important, the trust and affection of Nigerian fans.
“The way we performed this AFCON, I feel like the love we are getting from Nigerians we are grateful,” Iwobi said.
“Of course we did not come back with the trophy, but we still left as winners in one way or another.”
“Big shout out to everyone in the team, the staff and the coach.”
The Fulham midfielder emphasized that the team’s performances resonated strongly back home, despite falling short of ultimate glory to Morocco.
Iwobi admitted the squad entered the tournament at a difficult moment, following disappointing World Cup qualifying results, but believes AFCON provided a turning point.
“We were at a low moment after the World Cup qualifiers, but I feel like we restored some pride with the AFCON run,” he said.
According to Iwobi, the turnaround was driven largely by Chelle’s leadership and belief in the group.
“The coach has done a lot for us. I know he will hate me saying this, but regardless, he deserves a lot of praise.”
Respect at the Core of Eric Chelle’s Leadership
Iwobi offered insight into the culture inside the Super Eagles camp, explaining that mutual respect defined the relationship between players and coaching staff.
“One thing the coach always demands from us is respect,” he said.
“Of course he wants the team to do well and he has to make decisions.”
“You cannot always please everyone in terms of playing time, but there were no egos.”
He explained that Chelle’s expectations were matched by his own commitment to the players.
“Everybody worked hard for the coach. We got respect from him and he got respect from us, from the staff and from everyone.”
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An Emotional Farewell in Morocco
One of the most striking revelations from Iwobi was the emotional nature of Chelle’s final address to the squad at the tournament.
“When he made his last speech, he got emotional,” Alex Iwobi revealed.
“He deserves a lot of praise.”
“This is my personal opinion on behalf of the team. The players already told him, but I felt it was important to put it out there.”
The moment, he said, left a lasting impression on the players and revealed the bond that developed during the campaign.
AFCON 2025: Alex Iwobi Numbers
Alex Iwobi was one of Nigeria’s most consistent performers at AFCON 2025, featuring in six matches and playing a central role in midfield throughout the tournament.
His statistics includes:
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2 assists
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344 passes attempted
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86% pass completion rate
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11 chances created
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30 long balls delivered
The figures dictates a player who combined creativity, control and leadership as Nigeria navigated their AFCON 2025 journey.
