Ola Aina desperate to fulfil World Cup dream in 2026

|By Babatunji Wusu-

-Super Eagles defender says he was denied chance in 2018, heartbroken by 2022 failure
-Nigeria faces tough road to qualification with only four games left in Group C

Super Eagles right-back, Ola Aina, has voiced his desperation to represent Nigeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, revealing deep regret over missing the previous two editions.

Nigeria has not qualified for the global tournament since their last appearance in Russia in 2018. The team came painfully close in 2022 but failed to secure a ticket after a heartbreaking two-legged play-off loss to Ghana.

Now, with four games remaining in the ongoing qualifiers, the Super Eagles sit in fourth place in Group C, six points adrift of table-toppers South Africa. Only a perfect run and favourable results elsewhere could keep Nigeria’s qualification hopes alive.

Aina, who will turn 29 in October, spoke candidly about his missed opportunities.
“I got shenked in 2018. That manager [Gernot Rohr] shenked me. I was supposed to go, but he did rubbish,” the Nottingham Forest defender 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.”

The defender emphasized how much the next tournament means to him.
“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 four games left and we need to win all.”

Aina has been one of Nigeria’s most consistent performers in recent years and remains a key part of the national team setup. But with Nigeria’s qualification hanging by a thread, the road to the United States appears more uncertain than ever.