ANTALYA, Turkey – Chibuike Nwaiwu experienced a whirlwind 24 hours, earning a late call-up to the Nigeria national team and then making his senior debut in a 2-1 friendly victory over Iran on Friday. The Super Eagles’ win at the Antalya Stadium marked their first match since securing bronze at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and provided a valuable tune-up ahead of Tuesday’s fixture against Jordan, also being played in Antalya due to regional security concerns.
Nwaiwu, a 22-year-old midfielder currently playing for Trabzonspor in Turkey, was added to the squad after Fulham defender Calvin Bassey was ruled out through injury. The versatile player, who can also feature at centre-back, stepped onto the pitch in the 58th minute, replacing Igoh Ogbu with the scoreline already at 2-0 in favor of Nigeria. He helped see out the remainder of the match, contributing to a hard-fought victory.
Speaking after the game, Nwaiwu expressed his immense joy and gratitude for the opportunity. “I think representing my country is a privilege because it’s every footballer’s dream to represent their country,” Nwaiwu said, as reported by 61saat.com. “I am extremely happy to be representing my country here and very happy to have played my first match today. I think we are a very good team. I believe God rewards hard work, and I have always said since I was at MPFA that I always wanted to play for the national team, to represent my country. When I received the message on the phone, I was very happy and excited. I am very happy to wear this jersey. I was very excited, and I almost missed my plane because of this excitement. I was very excited when I saw the news and the post from my club.”
The match saw Moses Simon open the scoring for Nigeria in the sixth minute, assisted by Samuel Chukwueze. Akor Adams then doubled the lead with a goal set up by Ademola Lookman. Iran’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, managed to pull one back for Team Melli in the 67th minute, but Nigeria’s defense held firm to secure the win.
This victory comes as a boost for Nigeria, who are looking to build momentum after their penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the World Cup intercontinental play-offs. The bronze medal secured at AFCON, with a 3-0 win over Egypt, provided a much-needed confidence lift. The Super Eagles arrived in Antalya with 15 players initially, swelling to 22 with the addition of captain Wilfred Ndidi.
The friendly against Iran was only the third meeting between the two nations. Nigeria previously defeated Iran in the Carlsberg Cup in 1998, thanks to a goal from Ahmed Garba, while their encounter at the 2014 World Cup ended in a goalless draw.
Nwaiwu’s journey to this point has been marked by consistent performance. Since joining Trabzonspor from Wolfsberger AC in January, he has scored three goals and provided one assist in 28 appearances across all competitions. His versatility and recent form clearly caught the eye of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, who also handed a debut to Emmanuel Fernandez during the match against Iran. Phillip Otelle and Yira Sor are still awaiting their opportunities.
The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to their match against Jordan on Tuesday, also in Antalya. This fixture provides another valuable opportunity for Chelle to assess his squad and fine-tune his tactics ahead of future competitive matches. Fans will be eager to see how Nwaiwu and the rest of the team build on their positive start in Turkey.
For Nwaiwu, the experience of representing his country is a dream approach true, and his near-miss with the plane serves as a testament to the excitement and passion he brings to the team. His performance against Iran was a promising start to what could be a long and successful international career.
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