By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian midfielder Joe Aribo is delighted to be back with the Super Eagles after more than a year away from the national team.
Aribo’s last appearance for Nigeria came in February 2023 during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Ivory Coast.
Since then, the Southampton midfielder has been absent from national duty but is now eager to make his return in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
“It’s a really good feeling,” Aribo told Oganla Media. “I’m happy to be back, happy to get involved with my team, and get the results we are looking for.”
The Super Eagles held their first training session under new head coach Éric Sékou Chelle on Tuesday, and Aribo shared that the team is quickly adjusting to the new manager’s style of play.
“It’s a good feeling. We believe in what he wants from us, what he wants to implement in the game,” Aribo added. “We just have to trust in what he says to us on the pitch and carry it into the games.”
With the Super Eagles aiming for a strong start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, Aribo’s return is seen as a boost to the squad as they prepare for crucial matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
