Ola Aina Reveals Why He Chose to Represent Nigeria Over England

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has explained how former Chelsea stars John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, and his childhood friend Alex Iwobi influenced his decision to switch international allegiance from England to Nigeria.

Aina, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, was initially tied to England at international level. However, after filing paperwork for a change of association, he went on to make his senior debut for Nigeria in a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Zambia, coming on as a substitute for Elderson Echiejile with just 11 minutes to play.

Since then, the versatile fullback has become a key player for the Super Eagles, featuring in 46 matches across major tournaments and qualifiers, and playing an important role in Nigeria’s defensive setup.

Aina admitted that the lack of international opportunities with the England Under-21s for nearly two seasons made him seriously consider switching to Nigeria.

He explained to Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football podcast: “It was about my family connection, my origins. I’ll always say I’m Nigerian as well. When I found out that Nigeria was interested, it was a no-brainer for me because I hadn’t played international football for England for almost two seasons. I don’t know why, but I hadn’t been called up.

“When I heard about the interest from Nigeria, I just jumped at it because playing international football is a big thing, no matter who it’s for. It’s a massive thing on your CV, and Nigeria is a massive nation.

“My friends were there at the time – John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi – so it just felt right.”

Aina’s performances for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast earned him widespread praise, with the Confederation of African Football naming him in the Team of the Tournament. However, he faced criticism after the final against Ivory Coast, where he lost his duel with Simon Adingra.

He acknowledged the challenges of playing for the Super Eagles, admitting: “There have been many challenges, like when we didn’t qualify for the last World Cup. That was tough, especially with the anger from the nation and all the negative comments. It was difficult.

“Other times, when we didn’t do well in Afcon, it was challenging, but that’s part of the game. You have to deal with it.”

Looking ahead, Aina has set his sights on representing Nigeria at the 2026 World Cup, calling it another big challenge.

He added: “It would be amazing to go to the World Cup with Nigeria, create memories, and hopefully go far in the competition. Fingers crossed.”