'I was childish' - Iwobi finally speaks on social media post celebrating Super Eagles call-up in 2021

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has candidly reflected on his controversial 2021 social media post, admitting he was "childish" during a frustrating spell at Everton.

Iwobi had raised eyebrows with an Instagram post following his call-up to Nigeria's national team for the 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.

The post read: "Always an honour to get a call up to my national team. Hopefully I get to play in my preferred position."

At the time, the 98-year-old was being utilized as a wing-back under then-Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti—a position he felt restricted his creativity.

In a recent interview with Inside Scoop, Iwobi admitted the post was a result of pent-up frustration due to a lack of game time and being played out of position.

"Once again, it was a time I wasn't playing probably just frustrated," Iwobi confessed. "I should have handled myself better, I know that."

The Fulham midfielder elaborated that he found joy in representing Nigeria because it allowed him to play in his preferred midfield role.

"But, when I play for Nigeria, I played in midfield and I like to get on the ball a lot more, whereas at that, get the ball and keep it moving and that's because I was playing at right wing back," he said.

"And then there was a time I wasn't even playing. So I was actually grateful to going to Nigeria, where 90 percent of the time I'd play. So I wasn't happy."

He also revealed a conversation with Ancelotti after the Instagram post:

"Obviously, I was a bit childish, I put that post and came back. He said, where do you play? I told him I like to play number ten."

"He tried me one game against Burnley and we got beaten, he said get back to the wing.'"

Iwobi has since grown in maturity, a transformation evident in the 2022-2023 season at Everton, where he was voted Players' Player of the Year.

Now with Fulham, Iwobi is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, notching nine goals and six assists in 37 Premier League appearances.

Adeyemi Adewale

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