The impact of Joe Aribo in the Nigerian National Football team

Joe Aribo is the name on all the Nigerian football fans’ lips and it is for all the right reasons. The 23 year old has received a great deal of praise and recognition after recent performances for both club and country and it is does seem like the birth of a Nigerian football star. The 23-year old midfielder has been sharp and in great form with some exceptional goals to show for it! 

Aribo moved in the last summer transfer window from Charlton to Rangers for £300,000. This has proved to be a great move for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers as the young Nigerian international almost immediately made a positive impact on the side and has become a strong fan favorite in a short period of time. 

Aribo just can’t put a foot wrong at the moment. Watching him play his natural game has been nothing short of thrilling for Rangers and Nigerian football fans alike, or for anyone that is a fan of the game for that matter. 

Aribo Vs Brazil

In fact, Aribo displayed such exceptional talent that Nigerian football legend Victor Ikpeba did not hesitate to talk highly of the youngster, right after the 23 year old’s recent international success against Brazil where the he scored a delightful beauty and was crowned the man of the match. Aribo picked the ball up at the edge of the box with a heavy touch as he came sprinting forward, but his pace was unmatched, and his second touch with his left peg helped beat a defender. As another defender came closing in, Aribo wasted no time in getting away a venomous lace shot with his right boot into the left bottom corner of the goal, and darted away celebrating. It was a moment of pure athleticism, mental sharpness and good footballing technique. 

Brazil was the better team on the whole, but Aribo managed to salvage a result for his country. Furthermore, the goal was not his only contribution either. Aribo was dominant in the midfield, stringing together plenty of key passes and was a good physical presence protecting the back four with some crucial interceptions and tackles. He even won the ball off Brazilian star Neymar pretty effortlessly. Overall, Aribo was confident, in all the right places at the right times and made an easy choice for the man of the match. 

The Nigerian fans especially seem to love the fact that Aribo turned down playing for England (his country of birth) in favor of playing for Nigeria, his fatherland. 

For a review of the Nigerian U23 teams performance against Cameroon in the AFCON, click here. 

Aribo for Rangers

After making his way to Rangers in the summer, Aribo has become a reliable and go to midfielder for Steven Gerrard. The fee they paid for him has been a steal. Considering his recent form and especially his leadership and dominance shown for his national team, many believe Aribo will not be a Rangers player for too much longer. He is destined for bigger and better things – like the English Premier League to be precise. 

However, the Scottish title race is underway and Aribo and his Rangers teammates have plenty more to do if they are going to be successful in bringing Celtic’s monopoly to an end. 

The Rangers have improved leaps and bounds. It was not long ago that they were relegated as far as playing in the fourth division, but they are back in top flight Scottish football and are looking like the only team that could give Celtic a run for their money. 

Glasgow Rangers are set to travel to Almondvale Stadium to face Livingston F.C come Sunday and it is no surprise that the bookmakers have Rangers as the favorites with 1.30 to win, a draw is at 6.10 and Livingston to win is at 13.00. If you want to take a wager on this game, you can find all the best betting options and information at https://www.freebets.co.uk/sports/football/. 

In their previous five meetings, Rangers have won the last four meetings and Livingston won at home back in Sep of 2018 with a 1-0 score line. 

Once again, Aribo is going to be our player to watch out for.