The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sent its congratulations to Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi after he stepped into a tie as the joint-second most-capped African player in the history of the English Premier League, matching the milestone previously held solely by Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Iwobi reached the milestone after featuring for Fulham in their 1-0 victory over Coventry City on Saturday, taking his Premier League appearances to 328.
According to a statement from the NFF Communications Department, the 30-year-old Nigerian now needs 25 more appearances to match the all-time African record held by former Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure, who played 353 matches in the competition.
The NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, congratulated Iwobi on the achievement and expressed hope that he would go on to set a new record.
“The NFF celebrates Alex Iwobi for this new achievement and we wish him even greater glory. We will be very happy to see him become the African with the most appearances in the Premier League in the near future,” Ikpeme said.
Iwobi, who has also earned 100 caps for Nigeria, celebrated the international milestone during the Super Eagles’ friendly against Portugal this summer at the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria.
The midfielder has won silver and two bronze medals with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.
His latest appearance for Fulham saw him feature for 73 minutes against Coventry City, recording 60 touches, completing 51 passes and achieving a passing accuracy of 86.3 per cent.
Iwobi’s achievement places him alongside Salah, with both players now within reach of Toure’s record for the most Premier League appearances by an African footballer.
With 25 appearances separating him from the record, Iwobi has the opportunity to become the African player with the most appearances in the history of the English top flight.
What You Should Know
Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has achieved a major milestone by making his 328th appearance in the English Premier League, drawing level with Egyptian star Mohamed Salah as the joint-second most-capped African player in the competition’s history.
- Positive Impact: This milestone brings immense pride to Nigerian football, highlighting the dedication, longevity, and high level of performance Nigerian athletes maintain in top-tier global leagues.
- Potential Concerns: While this is a personal triumph for Iwobi, it also highlights the demanding nature of top-flight football, where players face immense physical and mental pressure to sustain long careers abroad.
