Iwobi Questions Relevance of AFCON Third Place Match

Iwobi Questions Relevance of AFCON Third Place Match
Super Eagles beat Egypt on penalties to win bronze.
Lookman finishes as Nigeria’s top performer at AFCON

Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, has questioned the relevance of a third place match at the Africa Cup of Nations, despite Nigeria securing bronze at the 2025 tournament in Morocco.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Nigeria claimed third place after defeating Egypt 4 2 on penalties on Saturday night, but Iwobi admitted the fixture carried little meaning for players still emotionally affected by their semi final exit. The Fulham midfielder featured prominently throughout the tournament and was one of Nigeria’s most consistent performers, starting every match except the group game against Uganda.

Iwobi registered two assists across six appearances and played a key role in Nigeria’s attacking build up. He was introduced in the final 25 minutes of the third place playoff and calmly converted the decisive penalty to seal victory for the Super Eagles.

Speaking after the match, Iwobi said the encounter was mentally demanding, coming so soon after Nigeria’s painful semi final loss to host nation Morocco.

“We were surrounded by doubts after not making it to the World Cup. We wanted to win gold but ended up finishing third. The match was tough mentally because I don’t think a player can completely forget the pain of losing in the semi finals,” he told beIN SPORTS.

“I also don’t agree with having a third place game, but in the end, we managed to win it.”

The 28 year old also praised Egypt’s quality, singling out Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, both of whose penalties were saved by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali during the shootout.

Nigeria’s bronze medal capped a strong campaign, although it fell short of the team’s primary target. Forward Ademola Lookman admitted the squad arrived in Morocco focused solely on winning the title.

“Everyone wanted to win the gold medal. We came for the trophy, but it didn’t happen. We leave the tournament with the bronze medal, and that is enough,” Lookman said.

The Atalanta winger finished as Nigeria’s most productive player, scoring three goals and providing four assists, the highest combined tally at AFCON 2025