Nigeria’s Super Eagles defender, Ola Aina has revealed that his debut day for Nigeria’s national team was a happy day for his family.
The former Chelsea defender, who had to wait for six months before getting the green light from football’s governing body, FIFA to make his senior debut, said his maiden call-up pleased his family expecially his father, who he tagged a proper Nigeria.
“It was good, my dad was buzzing because obviously he is a proper Nigerian man.
“Even my uncle said, ‘wow you are playing for Nigeria now, God bless you, you will put our name on the map’, they were happy,” Aina said.
Speaking on his most difficult opponent, Aina, who has come up against the likes of Liverpool winger Sadio Mane, Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Riyad Mahrez, Juventus’ Paulo Dybala and West Ham United’s Yarmolenko on the international stage while wearing the colours of Nigeria, picked Mahrez as the biggest name he has faced in his Super Eagles career.
“I have played against Senegal, they have got players like Sadio Mane but the biggest name I have played against has to be Mahrez,” Aina added.
Aina was a key member of the Nigeria squad that finished third at the 2019 AFCON, going the distance in five matches.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
