---
title: "Iwobi – Why playing for Arsenal means so much to me"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2016/01/27/iwobi-playing-arsenal-means-much/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Hamdani"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2016-01-27T17:08:51Z"
modified: "2016-01-27T17:08:51Z"
---

# Iwobi – Why playing for Arsenal means so much to me

Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi has expressed his delight at having broken into the first-team.

The 19-year-old Nigerian has been at the north London club since the age of seven and worked his way up through the youth teams and into the 18-man squad, coming off the bench on a number of occasions for the club.

Having worked hard to get to where he is, Iwobi, speaking to *Arsenal Player*, [as reported by the club’s official website](https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160127/iwobi-you-have-to-be-in-the-boss-eye), admitted that ‘finally’ getting to play under Arsene Wenger in the first-team holds meaning to him.

The Nigerian also admitted that being the nephew of Premier League great Jay-Jay Okocha has helped him to stay grounded in his efforts.

![Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/505540926-1.jpg)

> *I grew up in a footballing environment.My dad, my uncle and my whole family* loves *football. I played with a local team with Chuba Akpom so I grew up with a footballing life.*
>
> *I see it helps me \[to be related to Jay-Jay Okocha\] and it gives me guidance, \[it shows\] what I need to work on and what I need advice on so it has helped me over the years. I don’t see it as pressure \[to be related to him\] but he is someone I look up to as motivation as I try to be better than him.*
>
> *I had a few doubts when I was younger, especially when I was 13 to 14 years old. I was questioning whether I was good enough at that age as I… had to work on a few things. I didn’t let it get to me but I stayed focused and try to prove to them why I should get another contract.*
>
> *It is very hard. You need to train well every day and you have to be in the boss’ eye and his mind all the time so that is what I’m trying to do all the time.*
>
> *I was just hoping to go out and learn but to play for Arsenal’s first team means so much \[to me\] because when I play I think about all I have done to get to where I am and I feel so happy to do it.*
>
> *I had a few chances like against Swansea where I came on and against Bayern Munich. I got to play 90 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday. I got a few chances and now I’m hoping to get some more. I don’t know what to expect nowadays but playing at the Allianz Arena with the world’s best players was just crazy.*
>
> *I’m taking it as it comes. You have to always be prepared as you never know when that chance will come.*

![David Rogers/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/481947556.jpg)

Iwobi will likely start for the Gunners this weekend when they take on Burnley at the Emirates Stadium in the fourth round of the FA Cup, having impressed previously in the competition against Sunderland.