Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has admitted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico represents his last realistic opportunity to play on football’s biggest stage.
The 28‑year‑old Nottingham Forest full‑back, who will turn 29 in October 2025, reflected on his playing absence in recent tournaments—“I got shenked in 2018…then obviously we didn’t qualify in 2022”—to underline the importance of this campaign .
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Nigeria finds itself in a precarious position in Group C, currently lying fourth and six points behind leaders South Africa, with just four qualifiers left.
Aina himself was blunt: “There’s four games left and we need to win all.” He stressed that if they fail, “my World Cup dream is over. I’ll be too old.”
Despite the daunting road ahead, Aina remains optimistic: “I think we can do it. I’m putting all my energy into it.” His urging is unequivocal—win every match or risk letting his last chance slip by.
With Nigeria having missed the last two editions (2018, 2022), the defender’s rallying cry comes as a clarion call to galvanize the squad and supporters ahead of the qualifying restart.
