Fulham forward, Alex Iwobi, has eclipsed John Obi Mikel’s English Premier League record for the Nigerian with the most minutes played in the league, Soccernet.ng reports.
In Fulham's recent 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, Iwobi featured for the full 90 minutes under manager Marco Silva, surpassing Mikel's longstanding record.
The former Super Eagles captain, who debuted for Chelsea in 2006, held the record since then, accumulating minutes until his departure from the club in 2016-2017.
Despite notable Nigerian players like Nwankwo Kanu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, and Joseph Yobo also gracing the Premier League, Mikel maintained the record even without playing for another Premier League side other than Chelsea.
However, Iwobi, who started his Premier League career with Arsenal before moving to Everton–where he became a regular starter, and now Fulham, has steadily accumulated minutes, culminating in his record-breaking feat.
After his appearance against Newcastle, the former Everton star has now played 16,289 minutes in the league, surpassing Mikel’s 16,218 minutes.
Fulham FC’s Alex Iwobi Breaks Mikel Obi’s Premier League Record
After featuring for Fulham FC in their recent match against Newcastle, Alex Iwobi has surpassed John Mikel Obi’s long-standing record for the most minutes played by a Nigerian player in the English Premier League.… pic.twitter.com/TMsdF9pyla
— Ayomide Oguntimehin (@ayo_oguntimehin) April 8, 2024
With seven games remaining in the 2023-24 Premier League season, Iwobi has the opportunity to further solidify his record as the Nigerian with the most minutes played.
N.B: Who else do you think should have earned more minutes in the English Premier League as a Nigerian? Leave your comments below.
