Everton players are set for international action in the coming days with World Cup qualification on the line.
Everton beat Crystal Palace before the international break, as Jack Grealish celebrated his first Toffees goal.
Grealish has missed out on the England squad, but a host of Everton players are vying for World Cup qualification.
Jordan Pickford, Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye are all looking to book their ticket to the United States next summer, and David Moyes may just look for signings at the World Cup.
Joseph Yobo signed for Everton after dominating Michael Owen at the World Cup
In fact, Moyes’ first Everton signing way back in 2002 was defender Joseph Yobo.
Yobo had shown potential at Standard Liege and Marseille, but really caught the eye for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup.
It was during that tournament in Japan and South Korea that Yobo put himself on Moyes’ radar.
As quoted on the official FIFA website, Moyes highlighted that he loved watching Yobo in action against Michael Owen.
Nigeria held England to a 0-0 draw in that tournament, and Yobo was able to shut Owen down in a dominant display.
That was a driving force behind Everton’s deal to sign Yobo, as Moyes backed the defender to become the captain of Nigeria one day.
“Yobo is … probably the best player from Nigeria,” said Moyes.
“I have no doubt he is a future captain of his country. He caught my eye during the World Cup finals with his ability to play anywhere in the defence or midfield. He impressed me in the match against England and particularly against Michael Owen,” he added.
Signing a player off the back of a strong major tournament is risky business, but Yobo is a great example of how it can work out perfectly.
Joseph Yobo became an Everton fan favourite
Yobo initially joined Everton on loan but impressed so much that Moyes turned his move permanent.
The centre-back went on to play a key role under Moyes, racking up 233 appearances across all competitions.
Yobo’s performances triggered interest from Arsenal in 2006, but he stayed and signed a new deal at Goodison Park.
Come 2007, Yobo had become Everton’s record appearance holder for an overseas player, summing up his impact with the Toffees.
Yobo departed in 2010, first joining Fenerbahce on a two-year loan deal before signing permanently, but only after becoming a fixture of the Everton side.
Moyes saw something in Yobo in 2002, which resulted in eight fine years together at Everton, and if the Scot can find another Yobo at the 2026 World Cup, he will have done very, very well for himself.
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