Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi has opened up about a brief exchange he had with Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir during the penalty shootout in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations third-place playoff.
The Super Eagles emerged 4-2 winners over the record champions after a goalless draw in regular time.
As Iwobi prepared to take his spot-kick, Shobeir attempted to get into his head with a few words of distraction.
Later, as the team was boarding the bus, Nigerian teammate Ademola Lookman asked Iwobi what the Egyptian goalkeeper had said to him.
“What did the goalkeeper say to you, brother, during the match?”… He was referring to Mostafa Shobeir.
Iwobi said, “He told me, ‘I know where you’re going to shoot. If I save the kick, you’ll give me your shirt.’ I told him, ‘No problem, I’ll give you my shirt, brother.’ Then he said, ‘Okay. Let’s go.’ Then I scored the kick successfully, and I was just laughing.”
In the final, Senegal stunned hosts Morocco to lift the AFCON trophy.
