March 22, (THEWILL) – Alex Iwobi has shrugged off the online abuse directed at him after Nigeria’s loss in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Ivory Coast in February. The 27-year-old midfielder was singled out for criticism on social media following the 2-1 defeat, prompting him to remove all previous posts from his Instagram account.
However, Iwobi revealed that he did not even see the abusive posts during the competition, as he remained focused on performing his assigned role for the Nigerian team. “The whole competition I didn’t see it,” he stated on his Project 17 podcast, addressing questions about his perceived lack of creativity.
In the immediate aftermath of the final loss, the former Arsenal winger chose to read supportive messages from friends and family instead of engaging in online abuse. “The game is done now, obviously I’m disappointed I’m on my phone but I don’t check Twitter. I’m on Snapchat and WhatsApp with all my people telling me I’ve done my nation proud,” Iwobi explained.
It was not until the following day that Iwobi became aware of the extent of the abuse when his teammate Victor Osimhen alerted him and suggested issuing a collective statement condemning cyberbullying. While appreciative of the support, Iwobi opted against making a public statement, asserting that he was unaffected by the negativity.
Despite the online backlash, Iwobi has since returned to Instagram and occasionally shares messages on X (formerly Twitter). He acknowledges the prevalence of cyberbullying but maintains that it does not impact his life, drawing inspiration from celebrities who have chosen to disengage from social media platforms.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
