Alex Iwobi has come to the defence of his teammate Ola Aina, explaining the circumstances behind his much-criticised performance in the 2023 AFCON final.
Aina had been a standout player for the Super Eagles throughout the tournament in Ivory Coast, forming a key part of a defence that kept four clean sheets on the way to the final.
His consistency earned him widespread praise heading into the decisive match against the hosts on February 11.
However, the Nottingham Forest fullback found himself on the losing end of a difficult battle against Ivorian winger Simon Adingra, with the team losing 2-1.
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Iwobi on Aina’s performance in AFCON final
Over a month after Nigeria’s heartbreaking loss in the Africa Cup of Nations final, Iwobi speaks about Aina’s performance.
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Alex IWOBI In action for Super Eagles || Image credit: Imago
Speaking on “The Bassey and Iwobi Show,” Iwobi disclosed that Aina was carrying a significant injury, which hampered his ability to perform at his best.
“For those that don’t know, I’m sure Ola has already put it out there in many different podcasts and interviews,” Iwobi said. “He played with a grade 2c hamstring injury, I don’t know how.”
Iwobi also spoke about the sacrifices made by other players, praising captain William Troost-Ekong, who was named Player of the Tournament despite also playing through injury.
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Super Eagles of Nigeria defender Ola Aina
“Will also played… and he was the best player in the tournament. So many people sacrificed a lot for the AFCON,” he added.
Despite the difficult final, Aina’s overall contributions did not go unnoticed. He was named in the official CAF Team of the Tournament.
