AFCON 2025
Tolu Arokodare has refused to be drawn into the debate over whether he should lead Nigeria’s attack when the Super Eagles open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar on Friday evening.
With Victor Osimhen ruled out after failing to shake off an injury, the number nine shirt is suddenly up for grabs. Coach Eric Chelle now has a puzzle to solve ahead of the tie at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, and the Ajax Amsterdam forward, one of the men in contention, is careful not to make his case too loudly.
Asked whether he feels he should be starting more regularly for his country, Arokodare handed the responsibility squarely to his coach.
“I think everyone that deserves to start should start if the coach thinks it is the right time for you to start, if the coach thinks you are the right player to start, if the coach thinks this is the right formation to play, then it should be done,” Arokodare said to Naija Sports.
“Whoever deserves it, whoever has worked hard for it, whoever the coach feels is the right player to start should start. I don’t decide, none of us decide. The coach definitely doesn’t have, ‘this is my starting player.’ It all depends on how the game goes and how you want to approach different games, so I cannot really say.”
His measured response reflects a squad where competition for places is stiff. Chelle has a crowded list of options at his disposal, including Akor Adams, Coventry City’s Taiwo Awoniyi and newcomer George Ilenikhena, each offering a different profile to the coach as he weighs how to replace Osimhen’s physical presence and finishing.
The Malian tactician may also decide against relying on a lone focal point. At the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, he paired Osimhen with Adams up front, while Ademola Lookman was given a free playmaking role behind them. Repeating that two-striker approach against Madagascar would open the door for Arokodare or one of his rivals to partner Adams and keep the attack balanced.
Arokodare’s record shows how patient he has had to be. Since making his international debut in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda, he has collected 10 caps but has started only one of those matches. Osimhen’s absence could offer him the kind of opening he has been waiting for, though the forward is content to let Chelle make the call.
