EPL Star On Choosing Nigeria Over England: 'No disrespect to England, but...'

Premier League star Alex Iwobi has revealed why he chose to represent Nigeria instead of England, insisting that he has no regrets despite the Super Eagles missing out on qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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Before committing his international future to Nigeria, Iwobi was regarded as one of England's promising young talents.

The Fulham midfielder represented the Three Lions at youth level, progressing through the U16, U17 and U18 age groups. During his time in the England setup, he helped the U16 side win the 2011 Victory Shield and accumulated 11 youth international appearances.

Despite being highly rated within England's development structures, Iwobi never progressed to the U19 or U21 levels as his senior international future began to take shape.

The former Arsenal star ultimately opted to represent Nigeria and made his senior debut in a friendly against DR Congo in Belgium in October 2015.

Since then, Iwobi has become a key figure for the Super Eagles, featuring at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

He helped Nigeria finish as runners-up at AFCON 2023, while also securing bronze medals in 2019 and 2025. The midfielder was also part of Nigeria's squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Reflecting on his international journey, Iwobi made it clear that he remains fully satisfied with the decision he made.

"I am proud to be where I am today; proud to wear the green-and-white," Iwobi told the Nigeria Football Federation, per ESPN.

"Yes, I would have loved to win the AFCON and perhaps be with the Eagles at the FIFA World Cup that is about to kick off in a few days' time, but no regrets."

The 30-year-old went on to reveal that conversations with Nigerian football icon Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha played an important role in helping him make his choice.

Iwobi explained that the legendary former midfielder encouraged him to experience the Nigerian setup before making a final decision.

"He always said go and do what's right, go and enjoy your football. Of course he's a Nigeria legend and the advice I got from my parents and from him was that before you take a decision on where you want to play, give Nigeria a trial and see how you feel."

After spending time with Nigeria's U23 side, Iwobi quickly felt a strong connection to the country and its football culture.

"So I actually went to the under-23s and experienced it for myself and I felt a lot like I'm at home.

"No disrespect to England because I had a good time there but Nigeria is where my heart is.

"So yeah, he did influence me a bit, but at the end of the day, it was ultimately my decision."

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