Alex Iwobi is on the verge of making history for Nigeria as he closes in on a record previously held by Ahmed Musa, with the Super Eagles set to face Portugal in an international friendly on Wednesday.
The Fulham midfielder currently sits on 99 international caps and is expected to reach the 100-appearance milestone if he features against Portugal.
That achievement would place him among a select group of Nigerian players to hit triple figures for the national team.
Iwobi is also in line to set a new benchmark for speed of reaching the landmark, overtaking Musa’s record for the quickest route to 100 appearances in Nigerian football history.
Record chase in focus
Iwobi’s senior debut for Nigeria came on October 8, 2015, in a friendly against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, he has remained a consistent presence in the national team across multiple coaching eras and tournaments.
If he plays against Portugal, Iwobi will reach 100 caps in 10 years and 245 days, edging past Musa’s long-standing record of 11 years and 35 days from debut to the century mark.
Only three players in Nigeria’s history have previously reached 100 caps: Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama, and Ahmed Musa.
Opportunity in high-profile fixture
The upcoming match against Portugal offers Iwobi a high-profile stage to reach the milestone, with Cristiano Ronaldo expected to feature for the European side.
Iwobi earned his 99th cap in his most recent outing against Jordan, a game that ended on a disappointing note after he was sent off in the closing stages.
Despite that setback, he remains firmly in contention for selection and is widely expected to be involved in Nigeria’s plans moving forward.
Ahmed Musa currently holds the record for the fastest route to 100 appearances, achieved in 2021 during a World Cup qualifier against the Central African Republic.
Iwobi will still have further opportunities beyond the Portugal game, but all indications point to the friendly as the moment he joins Nigeria’s 100-cap club.
