Super Eagles and Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has expressed confidence in the Nigeria national team, stating with some belief that the Super Eagles have the potential to go far at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023) in Ivory Coast, starting on 13 January.
Speaking to the Super Eagles media team from the team's training camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the player who will be featuring in his third AFCON since making his debut in 2019, believes that with a blend of exciting players in the set up, they have the potential to improve on the 2021 edition, when Cameroon hosted with Senegal emerging winners.
“The fans know the quality we have in the team, from each man that is in the squad and the ones that didn’t make the squad, there is a lot of talent in the squad,” he said.
“We have confidence we can go far in this competition, but we have to prove it and assure the fans that we can prove ourselves. They can be sure we will make the nation proud.
“Preparation has been very good, we are in Abu Dhabi right now. We've got a couple of warm ups, everyone is almost here, the squad is almost complete and we are training together really well, training and preparations are going well ahead of the competition.”
Iwobi was included in manager Jose Peseiro's AFCON squad selection following a consistent display for the national team and his new club side in which he moved to from Everton.
Change in jersey number for AFCON 2023
On Sunday, he was involved in a test game for the Super Eagles against a third-tier side, Al Gharbia, when he impressed as a substitute in a 12-0 win.
Iwobi, who will now be wearing jersey number 17 following the unveiling of the Super Eagles AFCON squad numbers as opposed to 18 he's used to in the national setup, will be hoping to help Nigeria realize its wish of winning the trophy after the last triumph came in 2013 when the Super Eagles won its third title in South Africa.
Nigeria will begin her Group A AFCON 2023 campaign against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan on January 14.
