Rangers defender Leon Balogun has leapt to the defence of Nigeria star Alex Iwobi following the AFCON Final defeat to Ivory Coast.
Veteran Rangers centre-back Leon Balogun, 35, was not part of the Nigeria squad which was eventually beaten 2-1 by their West African rivals in Abidjan this week.
But that didn’t stop Leon leaping to the defence of his Super Eagles teammate as Everton winger Alex Iwobi come under heavy fire on social media platform X.
Leon Balogun defends Nigeria star Alex Iwobi
The nephew of legendary Nigerian midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha has been made something of a scapegoat for the country’s failure to lift a fourth AFCON trophy.
As a result of the negative reaction to his performance, Iwobi has deleted all images from his official Instagram account.
The situation has even gotten so bad that the ex-Arsenal attacker has claimed he has come off of social media, with the Nigerian sports minister John Eno clipped reassuring Iwobi of the country’s support.
Leon Balogun was responding to a frustrated supporter who openly criticised the abuse aimed at Alex Iwobi.
“This is the same player you expect to give his all and win- for you and the whole nation!” Balogun said on X. “And he did! Yet you neither acknowledge his efforts nor the fact that HE just lost a final with the team. If this is your support then it’s not needed – respectfully!”
Rangers links to AFCON Final
As Leon Balogun leaps to the defence of Alex Iwobi, the big defender would’ve been gutted to see Nigeria lose out to the Ivory Coast in the AFCON Final.
Not least because two former Rangers teammates in Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo played in the 2-1 Final defeat.
New Rangers signing Mohamed Diomande also hilariously rubbed the defeat in at Ibrox training, the Ivorian midfielder showing up wearing an Ivory Coast jersey.
The moment was captured by Leon Balogun on social media, with the defender inadvertently confirming his return from injury in the process.
