Former Super Eagles, Kanu Nwankwo opened up about how his participation in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) had a significant impact on his Arsenal career during the 2003/04 season.

In a recent interview with Arsenal’s official website, Kanu revealed that joining Nigeria’s squad for the AFCON tournament in Tunisia, proved to be a pivotal moment, costing him his place in Arsene Wenger’s side.

The tournament, held in January and February of 2004 and Nigeria reached the semi-finals and played in the third-place match.

Upon his return to England, Kanu faced challenges in regaining his spot in the Arsenal line-up as Wenger chose to stick with Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp in the attack.

This period coincided with Arsenal’s historic Premier League invincible season, adding a layer of complexity to Kanu’s situation.

Reflecting on the situation, the former forward shed light on the intricate dynamics between international commitments and club success, highlighting the sacrifices and challenges faced by players navigating both realms.

“It was difficult, because in a squad of so many good players, when you lose your place, it’s hard to get it back,” Kanu said on the club’s official website, arsenal.com.

“Obviously Arsenal did very well while I was away, so it was hard for me to get into the team again after going away.​

“Sometimes it worked the other way, when you go away sometimes, they need you back in the team or need to change things, but this season they didn’t need to change anything.”

The former Nigerian striker, having played a crucial role earlier in the season, only featured in one more English Premier League (EPL) match after returning from AFCON.

Kanu, now Enyimba’s Chairman joined Arsenal in 1998/99 season, and became a key figure at the club.

He scored 48 goals for the club and won numerous titles, including the Invincible Premier League.