Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, has confirmed that Alex Iwobi is in a positive mental state despite facing criticism online from Nigerian fans after his participation in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.
The 27-year-old winger missed out on winning his first international trophy when the Super Eagles were defeated by Ivory Coast in the tournament’s final.
Following the loss to the Elephants, Iwobi experienced significant online abuse from disappointed Super Eagles supporters, leading him to delete all his Instagram posts.
Despite being targeted by some Nigerian fans, Iwobi has received support from his teammates, and reports suggest he does not intend to leave the national team due to the negative backlash.
Iwobi hasn’t played for Fulham since the beginning of 2024 because of his international duties, and his return is eagerly anticipated by the London club.
In a pre-match press conference before the Premier League game against Aston Villa, Silva was questioned about Iwobi’s mental condition and whether they had discussed the issue. Silva stated, “Mentally, he’s very good. Alex is a happy boy when he’s on the pitch doing what he loves, he’s always doing it with a smile on his face. I know part, I don’t know everything what people said about it.”
Silva expressed his opinion that the criticism Iwobi faced was utterly unfair, highlighting the collective nature of wins and losses in sports. He also mentioned having a conversation with Iwobi since his return, confirming Iwobi and Calvin Bassey’s involvement in the upcoming game.
Iwobi has participated in 19 matches for Fulham across all competitions this season, contributing to five goals.
