Yobo Marks 10 Years With Super Eagles

When Joseph Yobo led the Super Eagles out against Ethiopia yesterday, it was just three days past his 10th consecutive year as a full international. 

Few Nigerian players can boast of such an impressive appearance record.

 The defender first represented his country as a junior international, playing as a striker as Nigeria’s Under 20 team floundered at the African Youth Championship on home soil.

 But he emerged as one of the few bright spots and made his full international debut a year later, as a right back on March 24, 2001 in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Zambia which ended 1-1.

 Since then, Yobo has enjoyed an unbroken spell as an international, chalking up 78 caps in the process, and playing at 5 African Nations Cup tournaments, and 2 FIFA World Cups.

 “I didnt know that! Wow! How time flies! It is a great achievement for me,” he said. “To play a full 10 years non stop. Wow!”

 But he collects himself: “I just have to thank everyone, especially the fans who have been there for me all this while. Sometimes people criticize you, but you know it is because they hold you to a higher standard and want you go do well all the time.

 “And I am grateful to all the coaches who have selected me all these years. Even after 10 years, I still consider it an honor to wear this shirt and represent my country.

 “And now that I am captain, I think I have a big responsibility to continue to wear this shirt with pride and let the younger ones know what an honor it is to play for their country.”

 Yobo has scored four times for the Super Eagles but says he needs to up that figure, even as a defender. “I should score more goals. I get in the box for set pieces and I think sometimes I get a bit unlucky, but hopefully, there’s still time for me to get more.”

 And speaking of time, Yobo is hoping that he has enough in his legs to help him crack Nigeria’s appearance record.

 “I’m not really thinking about it, I just want to do my best for the team on a game by game basis. Hopefully, that will be good enough to get to the record, but the team is more important, and if I can help the team by doing that, why not.”