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There are few players in the current Super Eagles setup who carry the double-edged burden of being scapegoated whenever the team falters, yet find themselves first in line for praise when the team triumphs.
Alex Iwobi sits top of that chain, with the Fulham midfielder having seen it all, from World Cup heartbreaks to glorious nights in the Africa Cup of Nations. But this time, his voice carries a different weight – a mixture of hope and warning as the team prepare for the African play-offs for the 2026 World Cup in Morocco later this month.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it,” he told CNN, his expression serious yet full of belief. “We have the players and confidence to compete against any team in the world. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
The Super Eagles’ road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been anything but smooth. A nation once regarded as one of Africa’s surest bets for qualification now finds itself battling through turbulence, fighting for the lone remaining spot on the continent to keep its World Cup dream alive.
This mini-tournament will feature Nigeria, Gabon, DR Congo, and Cameroon – the best runners-up from CAF qualifying, battling for the continent’s possible 10th and last World Cup pathway. The overall winner will then move on to an Intercontinental Playoff in Mexico next March, where two World Cup spots will be up for grabs. It’s a long road, but one Iwobi and his teammates are ready to travel.
The last time the Super Eagles graced the world stage was in Russia 2018, and Iwobi was there, a young, promising midfielder wearing the number 18 shirt. Though he didn’t feature in every game, he was part of a vibrant squad that narrowly missed out on the knockout rounds after heartbreak against Argentina.
For Iwobi, that experience remains unforgettable. “Playing at the World Cup was a dream come true,” he once recalled. “You grow up watching it, and then suddenly you’re on that stage, representing your country. There’s nothing like it.” That memory, he admits, fuels his hunger to return.
Since 2018, the journey has been filled with heartbreaks. The 2022 World Cup qualifiers ended in disaster when Ghana edged Nigeria out on away goals in Abuja. The silence in the stadium that night was deafening. Iwobi remembers it vividly. “Losing that game hurt more than anything,” he once said. “We knew how much it meant to everyone, the fans, the country, even to ourselves. That’s why we can’t afford to miss it again.”
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At 29, Iwobi has become one of the most senior figures in the Super Eagles camp. Once seen as the “young lad who replaced Jay-Jay Okocha’s magic,” he has grown into a leader, both on and off the pitch. Born in Lagos but raised in London, his journey has always been about balancing two worlds. In October 2025, Iwobi became the Nigerian player with the most appearances in Premier League history after playing in Fulham’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Craven Cottage. That match was his 299th Premier League appearance, breaking the record he previously shared with Shola Ameobi. How poetic that the milestone came against the very club where his top-flight journey began.
In Morocco, the Eagles will face tough opponents, but the comfort for Nigerians lies in the quality within the team – with stars like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman, and Wilfred Ndidi leading the charge. Yet, history has shown that talent alone is never enough. The Playoffs will test their resolve. For Iwobi, this moment is about unity. “We just have to believe in ourselves,” he said. “It’s not about individuals; it’s about the team. If we fight together, we can beat anyone.”
The Super Eagles have only missed two FIFA World Cups since their first appearance in 1994 – the 2006 and 2022 tournaments. Missing out again in 2026 is something most Nigerians can’t even imagine, especially now that the team has been handed a second chance to make things right.
