Sport: Alex-Iwobi Breaks Mikel Obi’s Premier League-Record (Details)

Sport: Alex-Iwobi Breaks Mikel Obi’s Premier League-Record (Details)

Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi has broken the record set by Chelsea legend Mikel Obi for the most minutes played by a Nigerian player in Premier League history. Iwobi achieved this milestone during Fulham’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United on matchday 32 of last season.

By playing in that game, Iwobi’s total minutes in the English top-flight reached 16,289, surpassing Mikel’s record accumulated during his time with Chelsea.

Iwobi, who made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in the 2015-16 season, has since featured prominently for the Gunners, Everton, and now Fulham. Reflecting on his achievement, the 28-year-old expressed his admiration for Mikel and his determination to keep pushing forward.

“That’s [breaking Mikel’s record] crazy, but I’m not trying to stop. I’m trying to increase that, keep going, and whoever is going to come for that title has got to put in hard work. That’s a big achievement because John Obi Mikel is a legend in the game. The fact that I’ve played with him makes me feel old. He was actually my idol at one point. He’s a legend,” Iwobi said.