Fulham star Alex Iwobi opens up on how his hairstyle, fashion and music have helped in his most prolific start to a Premier League season

Alex Iwobi talks about the multi-coloured braids in his hair and how even his hairstyle has helped his football in what he sees as his best start to a Premier League season yet.

“Yes, that actually plays a role (in expressing myself),” says the Fulham midfielder.

‘My father is in the house and he probably heard me. He didn’t like me coloring my hair. I was bored and didn’t want to cut it off, so I thought, let’s do something different that no one else has done. I literally said to the hairdresser: ‘express yourself’, but not too wildly. It’s wild because it’s red and purple right now, but I like it. My father has accepted it now, so I’m calm.’

It’s a stark contrast to the short-haired 19-year-old who made his Arsenal debut under Arsene Wenger in 2015.

Iwobi emphasizes that he has always felt that there is more to life than football, but that in recent years he has only expressed himself more by attending Paris Fashion Week, releasing singles and setting up his charity foundation Project 17 to aim.

‘It’s always been my hobby to make music, do charity work and things in fashion. But it’s only lately that I’ve started expressing myself a lot more, to show people that I’m not just a footballer. There is more to life, he says.

This weekend the 28-year-old will have his work cut out for him when Fulham take on league leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday and on Sunday he will be back in London to feed 100 families at Christmas as part of Project 17.

For one day there will be an AleXpress in Canning Town, his hometown, where everything will be free in a local supermarket.

‘You know what Liverpool is like. It will be an intense match, but whether I get cramps or have no hamstrings, I will be there on Sunday,” Iwobi emphasizes.

“Of course, in the house I grew up in, my father just gave back. For people in Nigeria, for his family and even for people on the street, he simply bought bottled water and gave it to the neighbors. Seeing how my mom and dad are doing has inspired me to give to others, whether they are fortunate or not so fortunate. With the position I’m in, I feel like it can only be a good thing with the influence I have, which I also give back.’

According to Iwobi, these initiatives off the field are the secret of his success on the field as well. The Nigerian has already scored more goals than in any other season, with five in the league for Fulham who are just two points behind fifth-placed Nottingham Forest.

‘As a youngster you want to do your best to impress the manager and you want everyone to know that you are completely focused on football. But it (freedom) comes with age, being free and not being pressured by negative comments. If it’s constructive, you don’t mind the criticism,” he says.

‘You have to be mentally strong. Players do well when they feel confident, and with me, feeling confident expressing myself on and off the pitch makes me feel almost unstoppable. And when you have people behind you, that really plays a role.’

One of those backing him is Marco Silva, who signed Iwobi from Everton from Arsenal for £35million in 2019 and did not hesitate when presented with the opportunity to bring him back to London on Deadline Day last year. After his brace against Brighton last week, Silva said this was Iwobi’s ‘best season in the Premier League yet’ and he agrees.

‘I have been involved in many goals, contributed a lot and I have worked well defensively. You could say this is my best start to the season; I just have to keep it going and make it my best season. That’s the goal,” says Iwobi, who credits Silva for giving him “the license to express himself.” “It’s nice to have a manager who gives you the confidence to do that,” he says.

Earlier this year Iwobi became the first Premier League footballer to release a single with his debut song ‘Don’t Shoot’ and in November he released the follow-up ‘What’s Luv?’ which is described as a celebration of his African roots with a mix of Afro-Swing mixed with Rap”.

It is also a tune Silva enjoys in the dressing room, with Fulham making their best start to a top-flight season since 2003-04.

“I don’t do it in the dressing room, but when you have teammates like Calvin Bassey, he just can’t do anything about it,” Iwobi reveals.

“He taps the manager to listen to the song. The first time he (Silva) said ‘What’s Luv?’ he was just shaking like, ‘is this Alex?’ and Calvin said, “Yes, it’s Alex!” He said it wasn’t bad. I know he didn’t understand what was being said the first time, but he enjoyed the rhythm. So it’s a win-win situation.

‘Everyone is enthusiastic about it and I get good feedback from the team. Even the people who do not speak English as their native language, such as Brazilians, are also enthusiastic,” Iwobi added.

Silva’s plan at Everton was to build around the midfielder, but he was sacked four months after signing Iwobi. Then Carlo Ancelotti played him out of position, while Rafa Benitez barely played him.

Iwobi would travel along the M62 to Manchester and play seven-a-side with his disguised mates to enjoy his football again. Now that joy has been rediscovered following his £22million move last year.

“Everyone’s mentality is one for all and all for one, so that will definitely help us this season. We had team meals and built bonds and that created a lot of solidarity, says Iwobi.

‘Even when Sander (Berge) and Joa (Andersen) signed, they took us out to dinner. We organized a trip to Paris to clear our heads (after the Wolves loss), came back and continued with the Tottenham and Brighton results. We feel like we are ready to fly and that together we can do anything.”

Another team meal will be organized during the week, ahead of a series of three games in seven days over Christmas. ‘The gaffer wants to take us out. That’s another piece of free food, so I’m not complaining,” Iwobi jokes. ‘It’s really fun. It’s like one big family.’

But first Fulham will head to Anfield with confidence, having taken points from Arsenal last week and narrowly losing at Man City in October in a match in which Pep Guardiola took all the credit for Fulham.

‘It shows that we can compete with anyone. We are not afraid. Hopefully it will be the same against Liverpool. We are going there to get a result,” Iwobi stressed.

Get something at Anfield and Arne Slot’s front-runners might hear ‘What’s Luv’ from the away team’s dressing room.