Chibuike Nwaiwu made his senior debut for Nigeria on Friday, coming off the bench in the 57th minute of the Super Eagles’ 2-1 friendly victory over Iran.
The 22-year-old Trabzonspor centre-back was summoned into the squad as a late replacement for the injured Calvin Bassey ahead of the team’s friendly matches against Jordan and Iran.
In a post-match interview, Nwaiwu expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, describing the moment as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. “I'm very happy to join the Nigerian football team, and I promise to put in all my best. I couldn't hold on to joy as the manager called me up.”
The defender credited his progression from his MPFL days to consistent hard work, and acknowledged Iran’s pedigree as a regular World Cup participant.
The debut marked a swift rise for the young centre-back, who nearly missed his initial travel arrangements due to excitement upon receiving his first call-up from head coach Eric Chelle.