Nigerian international midfielder Alex Iwobi has opened up about the difficult decision he faced before committing his international future to Nigeria instead of England.
Iwobi revealed that he initially found it hard to switch allegiance due to the stark differences in organisation and structure between the England national team setup and his early experiences with Nigeria’s national team.
Speaking about his time with England’s youth teams, the midfielder described a highly organised environment.
“With England, it’s a bit more strict. You’re in St. George’s Park or you’re in a hotel, no one’s allowed to come in, strict food, strict regime—that’s it,” he said.
However, Iwobi explained that things were quite different when he first joined Nigeria’s Under-23 team, where logistical challenges were sometimes evident.
“Nigeria now… sometimes your flight’s 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,” he said.
He also noted that players occasionally faced difficulties during training camps.
“The hotels are okay. Sometimes the light goes, sometimes you don’t have anywhere to charge your phone. England, no one’s allowed in the hotel. Nigeria, people can come in your room whenever they want,” he added.
According to Iwobi, his family played a significant role in persuading him to give Nigeria a chance.
“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,” he explained.
Despite his early concerns, the midfielder said he has no regrets about choosing to represent Nigeria.
“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.
