Nwaiwu Relishes Super Eagles Debut After Late Call-Up

Chibuike Nwaiwu has described his Super Eagles debut as a dream fulfilled, expressing pride at finally representing Nigeria on the international stage.

The Trabzonspor centre-back was handed a late call-up to Eric Chelle’s squad after Calvin Bassey withdrew due to a back injury. Nwaiwu came off the bench in the 57th minute to replace Igoh Igbu as Nigeria defeated Iran 2-1 in Friday’s friendly.

Speaking to the Super Eagles media team, the 22-year-old admitted his excitement nearly caused him to miss his flight to Antalya.

‘It is a privilege for me to represent my country because the dream of all footballers in the world is to represent their country, and I am very happy to make my debut today,’ he said.

Reflecting on the match, Nwaiwu praised Iran’s pedigree as a regular World Cup participant, while emphasizing Nigeria’s ability to take their chances. He also recalled his determination from his NPFL days with Enyimba, when he vowed to one day wear the national team shirt.

‘When I got the text in my club, I was very happy and excited, and I’m very happy to be here to wear the shirt. Because of the excitement, I nearly missed my flight. When my club posted it, it was a great moment for me,’ he added.