Alex Iwobi says he is fit to play for Nigeria in the upcoming friendlies against Poland and Portugal, with a notable chance to reach his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles if he takes the field in Warsaw against Poland. The milestone would place him among Nigeria’s rare centurions, becoming only the fourth player to hit the landmark after Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa.
Iwobi confirms readiness for Poland and Portugal
The midfielder’s expected involvement comes as Nigeria prepares for the international fixtures, and it also adds a major individual objective to the schedule. A start or appearance versus Poland in Warsaw would be enough to trigger the 100-cap milestone.
Boost for Eric Chelle after multiple withdrawals
Nigeria’s coaching staff will welcome Iwobi’s return, with manager Eric Chelle’s plans affected by a series of absences. Several players have pulled out of the squad, leaving Chelle to reshuffle his options ahead of the friendlies.
- Victor Osimhen has withdrawn from the group
- Ademola Lookman is also unavailable
- Femi Azeez will not be part of the plans
- Samson Tijani has withdrawn
- Alhassan Yusuf is not available
- Ebenezer Akinsanmiro has also been ruled out
Recovery from hamstring scare and reflection on Fulham
Iwobi had been a doubt earlier in the season after picking up a hamstring issue during Fulham’s Premier League meeting with Brentford in April. He has since worked his way back and managed to play in the club’s final two matches of the campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.
Speaking about Fulham’s 2025-26 season, the 30-year-old described a campaign that swung between highs and lows. While the team aimed to secure a European place, he acknowledged that the outcome did not match those ambitions, but insisted the club can still take pride in its progress.
He said: “The 2025-26 season has wrapped up, a season of ups and downs. Of course, we wanted to secure a European spot, but it wasn’t meant to be. Nonetheless, we’ve got to be proud of what we achieved and how far Fulham has come as a club.”
AFCON third place in Morocco
Iwobi also reflected on Nigeria’s performance at AFCON in Morocco, where the team finished third. He said the side did well in a difficult competition, while also stressing that the goal in any tournament is always to win.
He added: “At AFCON we did well. When you go to a tournament you want to win it, but to achieve third place in a tough competition is still credit to ourselves. We always strive to achieve more and improve.”
Next steps: personal goals and settling back into international mode
With the dust settling on his club season and his fitness confirmed, Iwobi is now looking for an improvement in his individual output. He believes he can build on what he achieved and contribute more directly in the attacking phase.
“Hopefully next season I can improve again personally, get more stats and score more goals,” he said.
On his return from the hamstring setback, Iwobi stated he feels in a good place physically and has planned time to freshen up before the international window begins.
“I’m grateful to be back fit. I was able to finish the season feeling good. Of course, I’ve got to get ready for the international break, but I have a little time off to refresh.”
Iwobi’s Nigeria journey began with his competitive debut in an AFCON qualifier against Egypt in March 2016. Over the following years, he has emerged as one of the Super Eagles’ most dependable performers, consistently featuring as Nigeria’s campaign patterns have evolved.
