Ola Aina credits Mikel, Victor Moses, and Iwobi for influencing switch to Nigeria

By Dayo Awoniyi

Nigeria defender Ola Aina has revealed that former Chelsea teammates John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, along with childhood friend Alex Iwobi, played a key role in his decision to commit his international future to Nigeria rather than England.

Aina, who was eligible to play for both countries, said his choice was guided by his Nigerian heritage and the lack of recent opportunities with England. “I’ll always say I’m Nigerian as well,” he said.

“When I heard about the interest from Nigeria, I just jumped at it because playing international football is a big thing, no matter who it’s for. It’s a massive thing on your CV, and Nigeria is a massive nation,” he added.

The defender acknowledged that the presence of familiar faces in the Super Eagles camp made the transition easier.

“Having people like Mikel, Victor Moses, and Alex Iwobi already there made it feel right. It gave me confidence that I was making the right decision.”

Since making the switch, Aina has become a regular feature in Nigeria’s national team setup.