Alex Iwobi has finally broken his silence following the Super Eagles of Nigeria's elimination from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.
The Super Eagles suffered a 1-0 loss to the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in an AFCON round of 16 fixture played at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Sunday, January 23, 2022.
With the Super Eagles one goal down, Austin Eguavoen introduced Iwobi in place of Kelechi Iheanacho in the 59th minute.
Iwobi got sent off in the 66th minute after a dangerous tackle and the Super Eagles could not make a comeback playing with 10 men.
The 25-year-old has finally taken to social media to respond to criticism he faced after the encounter.
In a message on his official Instagram account, Iwobi said, "Moments Of Joy Can Quickly Turn Into Pain And Anguish. As Much As It’s A Part Of Football, We Came For More. Our Fans Who Shared These Moments With Us Both In Cameroon And Across The World Deserved More! The Beauty Of The Game Is The Next Moment Of Jubilation Is Never Too Far Round The Corner.
"We Will Be Back To Fight For Our Nation, Stronger. We Owe It To You, And I Owe It To Myself. Thank You For All The Words Of Support & Encouragement - It Doesn’t Go Unnoticed."
Nantes winger Moses Simon also took to social media to reflect on the Super Eagles exit.
Simon who was Nigeria's stand out player at the tournament said, "Last night defeat hurts badly. We had the support of our passionate fans and stepped on the pitch to defend our nation with all our hearts. Sadly, it did not end the way we wanted.
"As a team, we win together, lose together and will come back stronger again, starting with the games in March. Thanks for all your support in Cameroon God bless."
The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Black Stars of Ghana scheduled for March 2022.