Alex Iwobi has long divided opinion among Nigerian football supporters, but former Super Eagles defender Sam Sodje believes the Fulham midfielder deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as the country’s finest players. In a recent interview, Sodje offered an emphatic assessment of the 30-year-old’s career and called for more widespread appreciation of his contributions.
“A typical fan would probably not rank him with the best of the best, but from an ex-player who knows the game, who knows the technicality of football, I would rate him up there with the best,” Sodje said. The former centre-back, who played in England and represented Nigeria at international level, also acknowledged that Iwobi’s journey has not always been straightforward, particularly in the early stages of his international career.
“I think he has done really well because when he first came to the national team, his ability was questioned because of his uncle (Jay-Jay Okocha),” Sodje explained. “But I think he has improved so much because of the career he has had in England.” Okocha, widely regarded as one of the most gifted African players of his generation, set a high benchmark that inevitably shaped public expectations of his nephew from the outset.
Sodje also pointed to the physical and mental demands of sustaining a career in the Premier League as context for the respect he believes Iwobi merits. “I know how tough it is — we have to give him a lot of respect,” he stated. “He grew up in our face… he’s come to be a very experienced and important player for the national team.”
The numbers support Sodje’s argument. Since making his international debut in 2015, Iwobi has accumulated 99 caps for Nigeria, placing him third on the country’s all-time appearance list. He is closing in on Ahmed Musa’s record of 111 caps, which stands as the benchmark for Super Eagles appearances. At club level, Iwobi has made over 318 appearances in the English Premier League — more than any other Nigerian player in the competition’s history.
His value to Fulham has been underscored in recent weeks, with the west London club’s performances visibly suffering during a period when he has been sidelined through injury. Fulham manager Marco Silva has provided updates on the midfielder’s condition, with the club awaiting further test results to determine the extent of the problem.
Iwobi joined Fulham from Everton in the summer of 2023 and has established himself as a key creative influence for the club. Previously, he spent the formative years of his senior career at Arsenal, where he came through the academy and made his first-team debut in 2015 before moving to Merseyside in 2019.
With his 100th cap now within touching distance, Iwobi stands on the verge of a significant personal milestone for Nigeria. Should he recover from his current injury in time to feature in upcoming Super Eagles fixtures, he would become just the second outfield player in Nigerian history to reach a century of international appearances. The coming months are likely to shape both his club season and his legacy within the national team setup.
