The midfielder was included in the Super Eagles’ starting lineup for Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa, marking his 87th international cap.
Iwobi had drawn level with the Nigerian greats after featuring in the 1-0 win over Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, a result that boosted the country’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
After representing England at U16, U17, and U18 levels, the former Arsenal wonderkid switched allegiance to the three-time African champions in 2015.
On October 8 of that year, he made his senior debut in a 2-0 friendly defeat to DR Congo in Belgium, coming on for Ahmed Musa in the 57th minute.
Since then, he has been a mainstay in the Super Eagles squad, featuring at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he played all three group-stage games before Gernot Rohr’s side were eliminated.
Iwobi has also appeared in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments: Egypt (2019), Cameroon (2021), and Côte d’Ivoire (2023), where he played a key role in Nigeria’s run to a second-place finish.
To his name, the former Everton man has scored ten international goals, the first coming on October 9, 2016, in a World Cup qualifying win over Zambia at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Born in Lagos and nephew to the legendary Jay-Jay Okocha, he expressed his pride in representing Nigeria, though he admitted it was “a difficult decision” to turn down England.
“It was a difficult decision picking Nigeria over England,” Iwobi told Arsenal Player in 2016.
“England did contact me recently before I played my first competitive match for Nigeria, asking if I wanted to play for England. I’m very proud to represent Nigeria but I would like to say thank you to England for the chance they gave me, it was a difficult decision.
“The love Nigeria showed me… when I played for them in a friendly, the fans were just crazy. The fans almost eat you up because they love you so much. I’m enjoying playing for them.
“When you’re getting out of the airport there are fans already there screaming ‘Arsenal, Arsenal. Gunners for life!’ and it’s just mad. Some of them have Arsenal shirts and then others will ask me for Arsenal shirts. It’s a bit mad and the fans are crazy.”
Iwobi, who is also on track to become Nigeria’s most-capped player in Premier League history, is just four matches shy of equalling John Obi Mikel’s 91 international appearances. The all-time record, however, belongs to Ahmed Musa, who has amassed an impressive 111 caps.
Follow the second half of South Africa vs Nigeria here.
