Ola Aina Explains Why He Chose to Play for Super Eagles of Nigeria Over England
- Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has opened up on why he chose to represent Nigeria over England at the senior level
- Ola Aina was born and raised in England and played for the Young Lions at youth levels, but chose Nigeria later on
- He made his decision to represent the Super Eagles early, unlike others who waited till the later years of their career
Super Eagles right-back Ola Aina has opened up on why he chose to represent Nigeria over England at the senior level of his international career.
Aina was born and raised in London, England, came through Chelsea's famous Cobham Academy, and played for the English teams at youth levels.
Source: Getty Images
In 2017, he switched his international allegiance to represent Nigeria, where his parents came from and has gone on to feature at three Africa Cup of Nations and has 48 caps, as noted by Transfermarkt.
Aina’s decision came early in his early 20s, unlike some other players who wait till they are in the latter years of their careers and unable to play for their dream country before choosing Nigeria.
Aina’s best friend, Alex Iwobi and former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong are other examples of players who made the decision early.
Why Aina chose Nigeria over England
Aina, speaking to Forest TV, shared different details about his life and journey as a professional footballer, including the decision that shaped his international career.
Aina was eligible to represent England by birth, and Nigeria through his parents, and opted to go with his origin, a decision he claims made his parents proud.
“Born and raised in London, I decided to play for Nigeria. It was just a decision that I made when I was about 20. That’s where my parents are from; that’s my origin,” he said.
“The opportunity came for me, and I thought it was the right one at that time, so I took it with both hands, and I’m here today.”
“My family are very proud of me, especially when I wear the Super Eagles shirt. They love it more than me. Even for me, it’s a privilege; it’s an honour. It’s amazing to actually play for them.”
Source: Getty Images
Aina featured at the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but missed the 2025 edition in Morocco due to the injury sustained on international duty against South Africa in September 2025.
His competitors in the position, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Ryan Alebiosu, are also England-born stars who opted to represent the Super Eagles.
The former Chelsea star has yet to feature at a FIFA World Cup, having narrowly missed out on the Russia 2018 squad, and Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 and 2026 editions.
Ola Aina speaks about AFCON 2023 final
Legit.ng previously reported that Ola Aina revealed his parents’ reaction to his performance during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in Ivory Coast.
Aina was one of the stars of the tournament, but struggled in the final against Simon Adingra, who skipped past him and assisted Ivory Coast’s goals.
Source: Legit.ng
