Former Brentford and Nigeria defender Sam Sodje in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has praised Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi for his consistency at both club and international level.
Talking exclusively to Footy-Africa, Sodje paid tribute to Iwobi, who turned 30 this weekend and has built a notable career in the Premier League.
Often described as one of the most underrated players in the modern game, Iwobi came through the academy at Arsenal before establishing himself in the first team. He later joined Everton in a £28m move and now plays a key role under Marco Silva at Fulham.
“I think he has done really well because when he first came to the national team, his ability was questioned because of his uncle (Jay Jay Okocha),” Sodje told Footy-Africa. “But I think he has improved so much because of the career he has had in England.”
Osimhen and four other African stars that will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup
“I know how tough it is—we have to give him a lot of respect. So him turning 30, you know, he grew up in our face and it’s scary to say he will be 30, but he’s come to be a very experienced and important player for the national team.”
Iwobi has established himself as a record-holder among Nigerian players in the Premier League, becoming the first to register 35 goals and 38 assists in the competition. He has also surpassed 300 appearances, making him Nigeria’s most-capped player in Premier League history, overtaking John Obi Mikel in April 2024.
“And that’s a hard thing to do, trust me. That league is a tough league,” added Sodje, who also played for Leeds United.
“But he has always been a player that plays to a structure, and I think that’s why he has got so many managers that really like him. I think his ability enough is not what is getting him where he is. I think his discipline of how to play to a system has made him the player he has become.”
On the international stage, Iwobi has earned more than 90 caps for Nigeria, scoring 10 goals since making his debut in October 2015. He has represented the Super Eagles at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
However, he is yet to win a major trophy with Nigeria and was part of the squads that failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.
Sodje believes those shortcomings are not a reflection of the players, instead pointing to issues within the Nigeria Football Federation.
“I think we’ve thrown it away by not qualifying for two World Cups and struggling for the last couple of Nations Cups. Because if you ask me—I know we all praise the ’94 set, the ’96 set—but believe me, with this new generation, I think we had the best generation ever and I think we blew it.”
Iwobi and four other highest earning Nigerian players in the EPL
“Hopefully, they are still around for a couple of years’ time, but football is a funny game; you just never know how long you can play for. But we definitely blew it, and I don’t blame the players, I blame the organization. Missing the World Cup for two years in a row really killed the chance for these players to go out there and explore their talents and get that kind of recognition the former players had. So yeah, it’s so sad. Hopefully, they can win something because I think this is a golden generation.”
Despite that, Sodje believes Iwobi’s legacy remains strong and that he should be considered among Nigeria’s finest midfielders.
“I would talk from an ex-player’s point of view, because a typical fan would probably not rank him with the best of the best. But from an ex-player who knows the game, who knows the technicality of football, I would rate him up there with the best. Because to play the way he is playing—like I said before, he is a player that plays to instructions—so that’s why in my list, he would be up there with the best,” he concluded.
