BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has honoured Super Eagles’ midfielder, Alex Iwobi to celebrate his 100th international appearance for the Super Eagles.
Just before the friendly match against Portugal kicked-off, NFF officials presented Iwobi, who plays for Premier League side, Fulham FC, with a commemorative framed shirt to mark his milestone achievement.
In what marked a major highlight of the encounter, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko and NFF Executive Committee member, Sharif Rabiu Inuwa presented the special framed shirt to player alongside Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle and other officials.
In etching his name into Super Eagles history books by reaching the 100-cap milestone, Iwobi has joined an elite group of Nigerian football legends. He also surpassed by becoming the fastest player to hit the century mark, achieving the feat in a blistering 10 years and 245 days since making his 2015 debut.
Earning that golden century is no small feat and this remarkable journey places him shoulder-to-shoulder with only three other Nigerian football icons who have achieved the same mark: Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama, and Ahmed Musa.
What makes this milestone so captivating is the sheer speed of his ascent. From his senior debut in October 2015, Iwobi has consistently shown up for the green and white. Reaching 100 caps in just a little over a decade not only shatters previous records set by his predecessors, but it also stands as a powerful testament to his unyielding dedication and longevity at the absolute highest level of international football.
Born Alexander Chuka Iwobi, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President Bola Tinubu in February 2024 to recognize his contributions to the Super Eagles in reaching the AFCON finals in Cote d’Ivoire
Only last year, he had also made history by becoming the first Nigerian footballer to reach 300 appearances in the English Premiership, crossing this historic landmark on Saturday, October 25, 2025, while playing the full 90 minutes for Fulham against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
Marching To 300
Iwobi was officially rewarded with an official Premier League Milestone Award plaque to commemorate his milestone appearance. His journey across the English top flight spans a decade of elite consistency across three different clubs:
Arsenal – 100 appearances (where he made his debut in October 2015)
Everton – 123 appearances
Fulham – 77 appearances (at the exact time of hitting the 300 mark)
Legacy Of Greatness
By playing his 300th match, Iwobi surpassed former Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi (298 appearances) to become Nigeria’s outright leader in Premier League game history. He also became only the fifth African player in history to join the exclusive 300-club, sitting alongside continental legends like Kolo Touré, Mohamed Salah, Wilfried Zaha, and Jordan Ayew.
Simultaneously, Iwobi etched a bold new milestone into the history books. By surpassing the 30-goal and 30-assist threshold, the versatile play maker became the first Nigerian to ever hit this rare statistical benchmark in the Premier League, proving his enduring elite status.
Iwobi began his career at Arsenal, where he won the FA Cup in 2017 and finished as runner-up for the EFL Cup in 2018 and UEFA Europa League in 2019.
