Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has expressed his determination to feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting it could be his final opportunity to play on football’s biggest stage.
Nigeria has not qualified for the tournament since 2018. In 2022, the three-time African champions fell short after a painful play-off defeat to rivals Ghana.
Now, with just four matches remaining in the qualifiers, the Super Eagles sit fourth in Group C—six points behind group leaders South Africa—making qualification a daunting task.
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Speaking candidly, the Nottingham Forest full-back said:
“I got shenked in 2018. That manager (Gernot Rohr) shenked me—I was supposed to go, but he did rubbish,” Aina said.
“Then obviously we didn’t qualify in 2022. So for 2026, I’m putting all my energy into it. I need to go, because if not, I think my World Cup dream is over.
“I’ll be too old, and I’m not trying to take someone else’s spot. Plus, it’s in the US—I need to be there. There are four games left, and we need to win all of them.”
Aina, who turns 29 in October, is urging his teammates to give everything in the final stretch, as the nation faces a tough road to the tournament in North America.