“They thought I was on crack” – Super Eagles star reveals how his football career started

Fulham and Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Chuka, Iwobi, has revealed how his football career started as a kid, admitting his father is his biggest fan, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 28-year-old versatile midfielder came through the ranks at Arsenal’s Hale End Football Academy before breaking into the Gunners first team.

Iwobi also played for England at youth level before opting to don the green colours of the Super Eagles, and he hasn’t looked back every since. The former Everton man has won bronze and silver medals for Nigeria at different AFCON tournaments.

SOCCER – NGA vs CZE, test match AUSTRIA,06.JUN.18 –  John Obi Mikel, Wiliam Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, John Ogu, Francis Uzoho, Bryan Idowu, Shehu Abdullahi, Jude Odion Ighalo, Victor Moses and Alex Iwobi. [Photo Credit/ Imago].
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Quizzed about how his football career started, Iwobi revealed his athleticism had always been there since his days being a toddler, and football was only a matter of time.

“My parents said I could run before I started walking. They told me I’d sit down, and in a split second, I’d sprint around the flat and they were thinking this baby is on crack.

“When I was a kid, I was very excited, used to run around, slide tackle balloons, kick chairs, kick anything in sight, so, I was just an energetic weird child,” the former Everton man said on the Fulham Fix Podcast.

Alex Iwobi breaks with the ball during the match Chelsea vs Fulham at Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom, 26th December 2024. [Photo Credit/ Imago].After coming a long way from playing on the streets of London to being a cult hero at the Craven Cottage, Iwobi’s father is proud of his son’s journey, even if the midfielder considers the antics somewhat overboard sometimes.

“You should see my dad, in the house, he’s always wearing a training kit or my jersey, always ready to go, but sometimes it’s embarrassing. If we go out, he’s wearing a jersey with the big Iwobi at the back and I tell him to chill, but he’s just proud.

“He doesn’t go into detail about my game. He knows football because he played in Nigeria, like my uncle [Jay-Jay Okocha], so he understands. Nowadays, he just says well done.

“Sometimes, he asks why I didn’t shoot on some occasions when I’ve been chanced, but that’s just being a dad I think,” Iwobi concluded.

Alex Iwobi and Ola Aina during a training session in preparation for the 2025 AFCON qualifier match between Nigeria and Libya at Godwill Akpabio Stadium on October 8, 2024 in Uyo, Nigeria. [Photo Credit/ Imago].Iwobi has scored seven goals and provided three assists in 26 Premier League games this season, helping Fulham to 10th place in the English top-flight.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria.

With a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience.

He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.