Alex Iwobi shares a reflective message after Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification failure, emphasizing moving forward from the disappointment.
According to a report from Soccernet.ng, Alex Iwobi says Nigeria has “rescued ourselves from the dead” and now has the confidence and talent to make it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Alex Iwobi is confident Nigeria can finish their remarkable push for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a report from Soccernet.ng.
The Fulham midfielder, who played for Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup, told CNN the Super Eagles had “managed to rescue ourselves from the dead.”
He added, “We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
Iwobi highlighted the squad’s quality, citing “last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen). It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the expanded 2026 tournament has nonetheless been rocky. They made a slow start in qualifying, with three draws and a defeat leaving them fifth in their group, but recovered under coach Éric Chelle by winning four and drawing two of their next six matches, Soccernet.ng reports.
That resurgence secured them second place in the group and a spot in the CAF playoffs. Iwobi and his teammates now face Gabon in Rabat, Morocco for a semi-final showdown, with the winner advancing to the playoff final.