When Alex Iwobi steps onto the pitch against Portugal in Leiria on Wednesday (today), he will enter a conversation reserved for only three other Nigerians in the history of the Super Eagles. Iwobi will become only the fourth man to reach a century of appearances, joining Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa in one of African football’s most exclusive clubs, PETER AKINBO writes Joseph Yobo — 100 caps, seven goals (2001–2014) Joseph Yobo stands as a colossus in Nigerian football history, the first man to reach the 100-cap milestone for the Super Eagles and the defender upon whom Nigeria’s backline was built for well over a decade. Born in Kono, Rivers State, Yobo made his international debut in 2001 and quickly established himself as one of the most commanding centre-backs the continent had produced — a player of physical authority, aerial dominance and calm leadership who made the shirt feel safe. He represented Nigeria at three FIFA World Cups (2002, 2010 and 2014) and featured at six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, a record of service that spoke to how indispensable he became across successive generations of the Super Eagles squad. His trophy cabinet includes an AFCON winner’s medal from the 2013 edition in South Africa, where he captained the side to the title and lifted the trophy in what remains one of Nigerian football’s defining images. His 100th cap arrived in the most dramatic of circumstances — captaining Nigeria against France in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He announced his international retirement after the tournament, bringing to a close a 13-year career in which he represented Nigeria with honour and distinction. Vincent Enyeama — 101 caps (2002–2015) Vincent Enyeama’s name is inseparable from excellence between the posts. The Kaduna-born goalkeeper became only the second Nigerian to reach 100 international appearances, and his retirement from the game prompted the International Federation of Football History and Statistics to name him the greatest African goalkeeper of all time — a recognition that placed the full weight of his legacy beyond doubt. Enyeama made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2002 and spent the better part of 13 years as Nigeria’s undisputed number one, a tenure defined by reflexes that seemed to defy the laws of physics and a leadership quality that made him irreplaceable even when club form fluctuated. He represented Nigeria at three FIFA World Cups — 2002 in South Korea and Japan, 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil — and featured at six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, a record of continental participation that underscores the span of his dominance. His crowning achievement came at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, where his heroics were central to Nigeria lifting the trophy for the third time. He was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper and earned a place in the Team of the Tournament, a recognition his performances thoroughly merited. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil further cemented his reputation. His saves throughout the tournament kept Nigeria competitive as they progressed to the round of 16, with his performance against France in the knockout stage — a match Nigeria ultimately lost 2-0 — drawing admiration from observers across the world. He won his 100th cap in a 1-0 defeat to Uganda on March 26, 2015, before retiring from international football later that year with 101 appearances to his name.
