Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi has disclosed a notable interaction he had with Egypt's goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir during the penalty shootout in the third-place playoff at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, held in Morocco.
The match between Nigeria and Egypt ended in a stalemate after 90 minutes, leading to a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw. Nigeria emerged victorious with a 4–2 win, marking their ninth third-place finish in AFCON history. Egypt's Shobeir set an early precedent by saving the first penalty taken by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. However, Nigeria responded strongly with successful kicks from Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, and Ademola Lookman, securing their victory.
As Iwobi prepared to take his penalty while Nigeria held a 2–1 lead, Shobeir tried to engage him in mind games. The goalkeeper, who is the son of the legendary Ahmed Shobair, initiated a brief dialogue that Iwobi later shared in his AFCON Diaries vlog.
Inquiring about the exchange, Iwobi narrated, “He told me, ‘Iwobi, I know where you will aim. If I stop your penalty, you owe me your shirt.’ I responded, ‘Sure, I’ll give you my shirt, bro.’ He then said, ‘Alright, let’s do this.’ I just laughed.”
Iwobi confidently scored his penalty, emphasizing his significance in Nigeria’s performance throughout the tournament. The former Arsenal player led the tournament statistics with 13 passes contributing to shots and netting 4 goals, along with two assists. He was also at the forefront of AFCON 2025 with 46 line-breaking passes, including 36 in the knockout rounds, totaling over 60 line-breaking passes over six matches.
Despite Nigeria's elimination through a penalty shootout loss to Morocco in the semifinals, Iwobi's influence remained evident as he scored in the third- place match against Egypt.
In the same AFCON Diaries series, the 29-year-old offered encouragement to Moroccan and Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz and congratulated Senegal on their achievement, showcasing his impressive personal performance at the tournament.
“I want to send a shout-out to Brahim Diaz as well; I know he’s facing a lot right now.
“To take the penalty as he did, had he scored, he would have been hailed as a hero; unfortunately, he didn’t. It’s crucial to remember that it’s just football, and my message to him is that what’s happened is in the past. He had a commendable tournament. Just focus on your club performance.
“It’s tough to move past such moments, but opportunities always arise,” Iwobi concluded.
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