The Super Eagles have no shortage of talent. Victor Osimhen remains Nigeria’s biggest star and one of the most feared strikers in world football, but Alex Iwobi has quietly become arguably the team’s most important player.
Osimhen’s importance to Nigeria is unquestionable. The Galatasaray striker gives the Super Eagles a world-class focal point in attack. His pace, strength, pressing, personality and constant communication also have a positive influence on those around him.
But football is not only about finishing chances. Before a striker can score, someone has to create the opportunity and get the ball into dangerous areas.
That is where Iwobi has become indispensable.
The 30-year-old Fulham midfielder is Nigeria’s primary ball progressor. Few players in Eric Chelle’s squad can match his ability to receive the ball between the lines, carry it through midfield and play passes that take teammates beyond the opposition’s defensive structure.
That dependence should be something the Nigeria Football Federation keeps a close eye on.
Nobody progresses the ball like Iwobi
Iwobi’s influence cannot simply be measured through goals, assists or key passes.
At the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, CAF recorded 46 line-breaking passes from the Fulham midfielder — the highest total by any player at the tournament. Wilfred Ndidi was Nigeria’s next-best player in that category with 22.
That gap highlights just how unique Iwobi’s role has become.
He is not simply recycling possession or playing safe passes across the midfield. Iwobi consistently looks to break defensive lines and move Nigeria from one phase of an attack to the next.
That ability is particularly important for a team blessed with attacking talent.
Nigeria have forwards capable of scoring goals, but those players need a reliable supply of the ball in dangerous positions. Iwobi is often the player who provides it.
His importance was evident again in Nigeria’s recent 2-1 victory over Madagascar. Iwobi produced the pass that sent George Ilenikhena through for the equaliser, slicing through the Madagascar defence with the kind of forward-thinking delivery Nigeria have increasingly come to rely on.
The result showed that Nigeria can cope without Osimhen.
Replacing Iwobi’s particular qualities, however, could prove considerably more difficult.
Morocco showed what happens when Iwobi is stopped
Perhaps the clearest illustration of Iwobi’s importance came during Nigeria’s 2025 AFCON semi-final against Morocco.
Walid Regragui’s side appeared to recognise that Iwobi was one of Nigeria’s main creative outlets and made a conscious effort to limit his influence.
Before the semi-final, Iwobi had been averaging around 15 line-breaking passes per game. Against Morocco, that figure dropped dramatically to just three.
Nigeria struggled as a result.
The Super Eagles managed only two shots across 120 minutes, with just one finding the target. More importantly, they found it difficult to connect their midfield with Osimhen and the other attacking players.
Even during that difficult performance, though, Iwobi still created Nigeria’s biggest opportunity.
His excellent first-half pass opened up a chance for Ademola Lookman, who found himself through on goal but could only shoot straight at Yassine Bounou.
Morocco’s approach highlighted an important point: stopping Nigeria’s forwards is only part of the battle. Cutting off the supply line to those forwards can be just as effective.
If Osimhen is the player Nigeria rely on to finish attacks, Iwobi is often the man responsible for getting those attacks started.
Iwobi’s age should concern the NFF
There is another reason Nigeria should be thinking seriously about their dependence on Iwobi.
He is now 30.
That is hardly a problem for the player himself. Iwobi remains an important Premier League performer with Fulham and has already reached 100 appearances for the Super Eagles.
The bigger issue is what happens when Nigeria eventually have to play without him.
The national team have not yet produced another midfielder with exactly the same combination of ball carrying, line-breaking passing and positional awareness.
Chelle has gradually built a more cohesive team, and that has helped Nigeria remain competitive even when Osimhen is unavailable. The striker missed the September AFCON qualifiers through injury, yet the Super Eagles still managed to beat Madagascar 2-1.
That should not be taken as evidence that Osimhen is unimportant.
Instead, it shows that Nigeria’s collective structure is becoming strong enough to absorb the absence of its biggest attacking star.
Iwobi’s absence could present a different challenge.
Without a player capable of consistently progressing the ball through midfield and finding the forwards in dangerous areas, Nigeria risk losing the connection between their midfield and attack.
Osimhen can provide the goals, physical presence, pressing, leadership and attacking mentality. But without a player capable of supplying him, many of those qualities become harder to maximise.
For now, that player is Iwobi.
And with the midfielder already 30, identifying and developing his eventual successor should be one of the Super Eagles’ most important long-term priorities.
