By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria stars Ola Aina and Alex Iwobi have called on Nigerians to throw their full weight behind the team as they prepare for a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.
Nigeria’s qualification hopes remain finely poised, with the team sitting fourth in Group D on seven points — six adrift of leaders South Africa, who top the standings with 13 points.
The Super Eagles will seek redemption when they face the Amavubi of Rwanda on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, in what has been billed as a must-win encounter.
Aina, who plies his trade with Nottingham Forest, acknowledged the enormity of the task but insisted the players are ready for the fight.
“A message to Nigerians is that we know it’s a tough task ahead of us, but we are ready for the challenge. So we need you to keep believing and supporting us,” Aina told the Super Eagles media team.
Fulham midfielder Iwobi echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the team needs the backing of millions of Nigerians to secure victory.
“My message [to Nigerians] will be to continue supporting us. If you can believe in us and give us the energy we need, we will go and get the result that we want to achieve to qualify for the World Cup,” Iwobi said.
Kickoff for Saturday’s clash is scheduled for 5pm local time, before Nigeria shift focus to another pivotal fixture away to South Africa in Bloemfontein next week.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
