Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has revealed that Nigerian players sometimes have to pay for their own flights when reporting for national team duty, shedding light on the difficult conditions he encountered after committing his international future to Nigeria.
Iwobi made the revelation during an interview with Adebayo Akinfenwa on the Beast Mode On podcast, where he reflected on his journey with the Super Eagles and the realities of representing the three-time African champions.
The 30-year-old, who has earned 100 caps for Nigeria since making his debut in 2015, said he was on the verge of breaking into England’s senior national team before deciding to honour Nigeria’s invitation after advice from his family.
“I spoke to my dad and my uncle, and they said, ‘At least give Nigeria a try, and if you don’t like it, then you can say you’ve given that a go,’” Iwobi recalled.
Describing his first experience with the national team, the Fulham midfielder painted a picture of poor logistics and challenging camp conditions.
“I went to Nigeria. Obviously, you have to sort out your own flight. We were like three in my room. You get to the hotel, and there’s no electricity. You wash your own kit,” he said.
He also recalled training on substandard pitches and the intense atmosphere within the team.
“The pitch is only half grass, half astroturf. If you make one bad pass, the coach is screaming at you,” he said.
Despite the hardships, Iwobi said the overwhelming support from Nigerian fans made the experience worthwhile.
“But I loved the food. I just felt like I was at home. I had not even made a name for myself at Arsenal; I was still on the verge. But I was getting celebrated by Nigerians. The love I was getting was mad.“
Iwobi’s comments echo long-standing complaints from players across Nigeria’s national teams over issues such as delayed flight reimbursements, unpaid camp allowances, and inadequate training facilities.
Since choosing Nigeria over England, the former Arsenal star has become one of the Super Eagles’ most experienced players, featuring in multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, where he won silver and bronze medals, and representing the country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
