Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has revealed the emotional toll of missing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, admitting that watching his teammates in action without him has been difficult to accept.
Initially named in Nigeria’s 54-man provisional squad, Aina was left out of the final 28-man Super Eagles roster after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty in September 2025. Although he returned to full training in November, Forest head coach Sean Dyche opted for caution, ruling him out of the tournament.
Aina, who was part of Nigeria’s run to the final at the previous AFCON in Ivory Coast, reflected on his absence and the team’s impressive form at the 2025 edition. “It’s been different. Sometimes it’s been hard to watch, but I’m really happy for them, man,” he told SuperSport. “Obviously, if things were different, maybe I would have been part of it and enjoyed it with them as well. But equally, I’m enjoying that they’re doing so well and it’s a joy to watch.”
With Aina unavailable, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle deployed Bright Osayi-Samuel at right-back, while Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Alebiosu also filled in before picking up an injury. Despite these adjustments, Nigeria impressed throughout the tournament, winning all their group-stage and knockout matches and scoring 14 goals en route to the semi-finals, before falling to hosts Morocco on penalties.
Since returning from injury, the 29-year-old Aina has featured in two Premier League matches, bringing his season appearances to five. Reflecting on the Super Eagles’ performance, he expressed optimism for the future: “I think they’re playing really well. It’s a joy to see because everyone’s been waiting for the Super Eagles to play like this. If they carry on like this, I think they can go all the way.”
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