Alex Iwobi, midfielder for the Nigeria national football team, has opened up about the stark differences between the national team environments of England and Nigeria, saying his early experiences with Nigeria were far less structured than what he had known with England.
Born in Lagos and raised in London from the age of four, Iwobi represented England national under-18 football team before eventually deciding to play internationally for Nigeria.
Since making his senior debut for the Super Eagles in October 2015, the Fulham F.C. midfielder has become one of the team’s key players.
Speaking in an interview with High Performance shared on social media, Iwobi described how the two systems differed greatly in terms of organisation and discipline.
“Playing for England and playing for Nigeria are very different. England is a bit more strict. In St George’s Park National Football Centre or in a hotel, no one is allowed to come in, strict food, strict regime — that is it,” he said.
Iwobi explained that Nigeria’s setup at the time could be unpredictable, with players sometimes needing to sort out travel and other logistics themselves.
“Nigeria now, sometimes your flight is not booked properly. You have to book your own flight. You get there, and sometimes the people at the airport are not ready to pick you up, so you have to make your own way. The hotels are OK. Sometimes the light goes out, sometimes you do not have anywhere to charge your phone. In England, no one is allowed in the hotel. In Nigeria, people can come into your room whenever they want.”
The midfielder also admitted he was initially hesitant about representing Nigeria and only agreed to try it after encouragement from his family. According to him, his father and uncle persuaded him to first join the Nigeria under-23 side to experience it for himself.
“My uncle and my dad said, just at least try once with Nigeria. So I tried the under-23s just to see, and then I could compare what I prefer. The pitch we were training on would have half grass, half AstroTurf, and maybe a bit of sand on the side.
“The coaches were strict in the sense that if you mess up a pass, you do not just get told off — you have to do a lap around the pitch.”
Despite the challenges he faced during his early days with the team, Iwobi said choosing Nigeria remains a decision he is proud of.
“It took a lot of convincing at the time, but I have no regrets. I did love England, but because I grew up in a Nigerian household, Nigeria has always been a part of me,” he said. ⚽🇳🇬
