Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has expressed his gratitude after making his National team debut in Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda, thanking his family, Victor Osimhen, and Eric Chelle for their huge role in his career.
Tolu Arokodare’s special moment arrived after Victor Osimhen’s brace in the World Cup qualifier match against Rwanda on Friday. Arokodare replaced the Galatasaray striker in the 77th minute, helping the Super Eagles maintain their lead and secure a crucial 2-0 win.
Speaking in an exclusive interview after the match with Sports Journalist, Ojora Babatunde, Arokodare credited his family, particularly his father, for his unwavering support: “I’m speechless, I have no words but if I was to put it in words, I’ll just say thank you to God and to my Dad, my brothers, my family, my Mum, but most especially my Dad because he dedicated his whole life to my football career.”
”I know this is the one thing that he wanted the most out of everything and it means a lot to me that he’s still alive to witness this,” he added.
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In a viral video, Arokodare was seen tearfully overcome with emotion. He later explained that he’s not typically an emotional person, but the magnitude of the moment, making his debut for the Super Eagles, left him deeply overwhelmed.
In his words: “I’m not an emotional person, I hardly cry, last time I cried was I think last year and it happened once. But I was just overwhelmed by the whole situation, I couldn’t believe it. At the start of this season, I almost left Genk and now I’m playing with the national team, playing with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Lookman, Iwobi, Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, so many top players.”
Arokodare further acknowledged the significant role Victor Osimhen played in his career: “I actually started crying when I hugged Victor Osimhen because I hugged him and I said thank you. He has played a huge role in my life, in my career since the first day i met him. With his words, the gifts, his actions, with me just watching him, he has played a huge role in my life and I’m so grateful to him.”
The Genk striker praised Eric Chelle for his impact on the team’s performance against Rwanda: “It feels amazing. The coach is someone who knows how he wants to play and I think everyone can see the intensity, the way we pressed, the way we played, the calmness, the attitude, everything. That’s the impact of the coach.”
Arokodare expressed gratitude to the coach for giving him his first call-up and debut: “I said thank you to him and he said hi to my parents. He’s a very awesome coach, he’s a very nice guy.”
“He has a special relationship with the players, he’s always hitting us hard on the back and everything. I think there are better and greater things to come, we just have to stay positive, maintain our energy, not get over our heads and stay focused,” he declared.
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