AFCON Final: Alex Iwobi Explains Reasons Behind His Disappointing Performance in Ivory Coast

• Nigeria faltered in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations against Ivory Coast
• Midfielder, Alex Iwobi, had an underwhelming performance, by his own standards
• The Super Eagles star has given a reason for his poor performance in the final game

Players of the Super Eagles of Nigeria faced harsh criticism for their subpar performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.

Despite scaling the toughest of hurdles to reach the final of the showpiece, Nigeria put in a seemingly lacklustre display on the night, and they were made to pay courtesy of goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller.

A number of Super Eagles players failed to hit their strides on the night, and one notable star who had himself a night to forget was midfielder, Alex Iwobi.

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The 27-year-old largely struggled to match the intensity of the Ivorian team, and it is perhaps little wonder why fans of the Nigerian team have criticised him.

In the aftermath of the AFCON, and with a friendly game against Ghana looming, the Fulham star offered an explanation for his subdued performance.

Iwobi explains his poor AFCON performance

In a candid discussion on his YouTube channel, Project 17, the versatile midfielder highlighted the challenging playing conditions and tactical responsibilities as key factors contributing to his subdued performance during the AFCON final.

Addressing the demanding schedule and hot weather, he remarked:

"Playing a game every four days in those conditions doesn't help. It's not an excuse, but playing in such circumstances... And the specific role I was assigned alongside Frank [Onyeka] focused heavily on second balls, runs, and ball retention."

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Iwobi further emphasised the impact of coaching instructions on his approach and has appeared to lay the blame with former coach, Jose Peseiro:

"While everyone expected creativity from me, I was instructed to maintain possession, manage the game, and facilitate ball movement from flank to flank.

"We had wing-backs capable of providing width, and players like Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, and Moses Simon who could create opportunities. Victor (Osimhen) is a lethal goal-scorer. Frank and I were tasked with controlling the tempo."

These comments by the former Arsenal midfielder can be seen as an attempt to address criticisms regarding his performance, as fans lament Nigeria's missed opportunity to claim the AFCON title in Ivory Coast.

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Sports Brief also previously reported on Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, backing Domenec Torrent to take over as Nigeria's next coach.

Both Guardiola and Torrent previously worked together at several notable clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.