Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has expressed his determination to feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, having missed out on the last two tournaments.
Nigeria last qualified for the global showpiece in 2018 but failed to make the 2022 edition after losing to arch-rivals Ghana in a two-legged playoff.
Now, with the 2026 qualifiers underway, the Super Eagles find themselves in a difficult position. They currently sit fourth in Group C, six points adrift of leaders South Africa, with only four matches left to play.
Qualification hopes are slim, and only a dramatic turnaround would see the three-time African champions secure a ticket to the tournament.
Aina, who will turn 29 in October, reflected on his World Cup heartbreaks, saying he was unfairly left out of the 2018 squad by then-manager Gernot Rohr.
“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 this 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 get in other people’s place, and it’s in the US. I need to be there. There’s five (four) games left and we need to win all.”
The Nottingham Forest full-back is urging his teammates to dig deep and keep their slim qualification hopes alive.