By: Monsurah Olatunji
Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina has swiftly denied a viral image on social media that suggested he had insulted Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku.
The incident occurred following Forest’s 1-0 victory over defending champions Manchester City at the City Ground on Saturday.
Prior to the match, a screenshot of an alleged exchange between Aina and a fan circulated on social media, which sparked controversy.
In the screenshot, a fan commented, “Man ain’t ready for Doku on Saturday,” to which a response supposedly from Aina read, “I’m under 30 G.”
The context behind the alleged response stemmed from an ongoing social media joke that Doku struggles against younger, faster defenders.
Aina, known for his candid Snapchat interactions with fans, denied the exchange, clarifying that the response was not from him.
Despite Doku’s spirited performance, Aina kept the winger well-guarded throughout the match, prompting fans to reference the screenshot after the game.
The Nigerian international quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to debunk the claim, emphasizing his respect for all opponents.
“Need to clarify, this photo is a fake!! I did not post this,” Aina wrote.
“I respect every player I come up against. Please, if people want to quote me, then quote me right. Anyways, off to get waved, enjoy your weekend, people.”
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.
