Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest fullback, Ola Aina has opened up about his experience playing for the Super Eagles, saying that the affection he receives from supporters is unparalleled.
Born in England to Nigerian parents, Ola Aina initially represented England at various youth levels before switching allegiance to Nigeria in May 2017, earning his first call-up to the Super Eagles that same month.
Since then, the 28-year-old has gone on to earn 44 caps for Nigeria, significantly contributing to the team’s qualification while also participating in three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2019, 2021, and 2023.
In an exclusive interview with The Inside Scoop, Ola Aina spoke fondly on his experience of representing Nigeria alongside other English-born players: “It’s sick as well, it’s like playing football with your boys. It’s good though because when you play for an African team, the love you get is second to none.”
More Read
Ola Aina shared his thoughts on African players representing European countries, suggesting that teams could benefit from increased talent if players chose to represent their countries of heritage, but also emphasized that players’ decisions to choose the path that best suits them should be respected.
“I don’t think it’s only African countries, but even like Jamaica, imagine all the Jamaican players we know playing for Jamaica, they will be sick. But then again, I get it, if you’ve got a nation like England and there’s a chance for you, and you’re still fairly young, I understand why you would wait. I can’t fault someone, I can only tell them the perks but ultimately it’s their decision, I won’t force someone to.”
Aina suggested that the challenges faced with African football federations might deter players from committing to their countries of heritage, citing the Super Eagles’ encounter in Libya as an example.
“They held us hostage, and we had to hold our mouths in silence. I think people don’t say, but deep down it is one of the reasons (they don’t choose to play for their countries). Even when I made the decision, I knew I wanted to, but it was still in the back of my head a little bit. I made the decision and I just went with it and I’m here today but I think for other players maybe it’s that.”
© Bold Media Innovations & Creative Hub Limited. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
