After a childhood spent idolising Jay-Jay Okocha and Ronaldinho, it is no surprise to learn that Alex Iwobi plays his best football when he can express himself.
Iwobi was inspired watching his uncle, Okocha, and Ronaldinho play together at Paris Saint-Germain and countless days on the school playground where spent trying to replicate their skills.
“Those two were my favourite players to watch growing up,” says Iwobi. “It showed me that just being yourself, being who you are, you get accepted.
“Even playing for Sam Allardyce, who was really not known for players like Jay-Jay, he was able to be one of Sam Allardyce’s crucial players. Having him as a role model definitely helped me as a kid to express myself and be where I am today.”
That desire to express himself is constant throughout Iwobi’s life and not just on the football pitch.
Fashion and music are two of the Fulham midfielder’s biggest outlets for showcasing his personality, while a recent trip to the hairdresser sums up his carefree nature.
“I got bored of my hair and I didn’t want to cut it off so I thought let me do something different that no one else has, so that’s how it started,” Iwobi says.
“It’s red, purple. I literally told the hairdresser: ‘Express yourself, but not too wild’. It is wild because it’s red at the moment. I like it. I don’t know what I’m going to do next.”
Iwobi knows where he will be on Sunday, though, just 24 hours after Fulham’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield - and the answer is not what you would expect.
The 28-year-old has taken over a supermarket near where he grew up in Canning Town and for one day only it will turn into the ‘AleXpress’, where everything is free.
It’s nice to show I am human and I like to give back. I am not just a footballer. I am the same as everyone else
Iwobi hopes to help 100 families in need by inviting them down to the store and picking out everything they require for Christmas dinner.
“In the house I was raised in, my dad naturally just gave back - to people in Nigeria, to his family,” says Iwobi. “Even people in the street, he would just buy bottles of water for them and give them to neighbours.
“You know what Liverpool are like, it’s going to be an intense game, but whether I get cramp or I have no hamstrings, I will be there [on Sunday].
“It’s nice to show I am human and I like to give back. I am not just a footballer. I am the same as everyone else.”
Iwobi will spend his Sunday in a Canning Town supermarket, but back in the summer he was at Paris Fashion Week for the second year running.
Fashion is one of the midfielder’s great passions and he believes that creativity can manifest itself on the pitch.
“Even at a certain point, I was going to art galleries to see what the artist thinks when they’re painting and what goes through their minds,” he says.
“It’s the same way with football. If you like to create stuff, create art on the pitch with a skill, a through-ball, a set-piece. That can also be seen as a piece of art.
“I like to see what goes through the mind of musicians and people in the fashion world because there’s similarities with footballers.”
When he is happy off the pitch, Iwobi believes he plays his best on it and that is part of the reason behind his fine form this season.
The midfielder is Fulham’s joint-top scorer and has scored five times in the Premier League, matching his best ever tally from last season.
“You could say it is my best start to the season - I just have to keep it going and make sure it’s my best season,” says Iwobi. “That’s the aim.”
Iwobi also credits Marco Silva as being key to his excellent performances. The Fulham boss is “demanding”, but gives players the licence to express themselves, too.
“If I do make a mistake, I can go again,” says Iwobi. “It’s nice to have a manager who gives you the confidence to do that
“Players normally do well when they are confident and with me, feeling confident to express myself on and off the pitch, I almost feel unstoppable.”
Silva’s willingness to let players express themselves has even extended to the dressing room music, with Iwobi’s two singles ‘What's Luv?’ and ‘Don’t Shoot’ on the playlist.
“I personally don’t get it on the dressing room, but when you have team-mates like Calvin Bassey, he just can’t help himself,” says Iwobi.
“He is tapping the manager to listen to the song as well. He said it was not bad. I know the first time hearing it in the gym, he did not understand what was being said, but he enjoyed the beat. So I guess it’s a win-win.”
Iwobi will be hoping for another win on Saturday, as Fulham head to Anfield. A draw against Arsenal last week showed how Silva’s side can compete with big teams and they are currently 10th in the Premier League, with qualifying for Europe a realistic aim this season.
“We are going there to get a result,”says Iwoibi. “You never know in the Premier League - in any game, anything can happen. Even though they are top of the league, we want to get the result we want.
“With Fulham, the main thing is that there’s no egos. Everyone treats each other the same way. There are no stars. Also outside the training ground, we stay in touch.
“We’ve had a lot of meals in London, we organised a trip to Paris to clear our heads, came back then went again with the Tottenham result and the Brighton result. We’ve got a meal planned next week. The gaffer wants to take us out
“It’s really nice. It’s like one big family. We feel like we’re ready to fly and we can do anything together.”
