Not Osimhen, not Lookman: Chelle names Nigeria’s quiet engine at AFCON 2025 – “I’m proud of him”

The former Arsenal attacker has been one of Nigeria’s outstanding stars at the 2025 AFCON, where the Super Eagles is targeting a fourth continental title

Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has hailed Alex Iwobi as the tactical heartbeat of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign after the Fulham midfielder delivered another masterclass in the 4–0 demolition of Mozambique that sealed the team’s place in the quarter-finals, Soccernet.ng reports.

While Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have dominated headlines with goals, assists and individual awards, Chelle has made it clear that Nigeria’s tournament momentum is being driven by a less glamorous, but no less vital, force in midfield.

Iwobi, 29, produced one of his finest performances in a Super Eagles shirt on Monday night in Fes; orchestrating attacks, initiating the first two goals and controlling the rhythm of a match Nigeria won with style and panache.

Super Eagles: What Chelle said about Iwobi

“You know, there are some players, they smell football,” Chelle said at his post-match press conference. “This guy, Iwobi, he has a big IQ for football. He sees the game before the other players and technically, he's very good.

“Since the AFCON started, we see that this guy is a very good player. Actually, he is like the team. The most important thing now is to do that every game after every game. Once again, we have to stay focused to continue to work, to continue to try to be better than the last game. I'm very proud of him and the team too.”

Operating alongside Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka, the former Arsenal midfielder has quietly knitted Nigeria’s team together, balancing creativity with control and providing the platform for the team’s stars to shine.

He had already announced his importance earlier in the tournament by providing the two assists for Nigeria’s first goals of the competition in the 2-1 win over Tanzania. Against Mozambique, he went a step further, not just supplying passes, but shaping the entire game.

Lookman’s brace and Osimhen’s ruthless finishing ultimately decided the contest, but it was Iwobi who repeatedly broke Mozambique’s defensive structure with his movement, positioning and early decision-making.

Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!

Nigeria legend Oliseh hails Iwobi 

And Chelle is not alone in noticing.

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh also singled out Iwobi for special praise during his commentary on CAF TV, calling him the unseen architect of Nigeria’s attacking dominance.

“All these started from Iwobi; this is what we call the pre-assist pass. That pass tore the defense apart,” Oliseh noted.

“What a finish from Lookman. The goal is what we talk about, but it is the pass that comes before the assist.”

As the match wore on, Oliseh continued to highlight Iwobi’s influence from deeper areas.

“What a pass. We must give kudos to what Iwobi is doing out there today,” he added.

Nigeria’s comprehensive win over Mozambique did more than just book a quarter-final place. It delivered the team’s first clean sheet of the tournament and suggested Chelle’s side are finding their perfect balance at exactly the right moment.

Nigeria will now travel to Marrakech for their quarter-final clash on Sunday, January 10, where they will face the winner of the high-stakes Round of 16 tie between Algeria and DR Congo.