Ola Aina, a defender for Nottingham Forest, has explained why he chose to switch his allegiance from England to Nigeria.
Born to Nigerian parents in the London Borough of Southwark 29 years ago, Aina appeared destined to play for England’s senior squad, the Three Lions.
He was called up to the U21 team in 2015 after playing for the Young Lions in the U16, U17, U18, U19, and U20 levels.
Nevertheless, in March 2017, the former Chelsea fullback accepted an invitation to train with the Super Eagles in London despite not yet having won a U21 cap.
He decided to represent Nigeria after getting to know the team.
Before he could make his Super Eagles debut in a World Cup qualifier against Zambia in October 2017, FIFA had to approve his change of sporting country because he was temporarily cap-tied to England.
Despite having more than 20 caps for the Young Lions, Aina explained that his decision to play for the three-time African champions at the senior level was greatly motivated by his family ties to Nigeria.
I choose to play for Nigeria despite being born and reared in London. It was just a choice I made when I was about twenty years old. In an interview with Nottingham Forest’s YouTube channel, Aina said, “That’s where my parents are from; that’s my heritage.”
“When I wear the Super Eagles shirt, my family is really proud of me. They treasure it even more than I do. It’s an honor and a privilege for me. Playing for them is really amazing,” he remarked.
Aina was a key member of the Super Eagles team that made it to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, and his outstanding efforts earned him a berth on the official Team of the Tournament.
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