'It hit me like a ton of bricks' - Southampton midfielder recalls goalscoring Super Eagles debut

Southampton midfielder Joe Aribo has reflected on the emotional weight and pride of representing Nigeria, describing his international debut as an overwhelming moment that left a lasting impression on him.

Born in London, the English capital, the soon-to-be free agent had always wanted to play international football for Nigeria, a nation he is eligible to represent through his parents.

A few months after a celebrated move to Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, Aribo earned a deserved call-up for an international friendly against Ukraine.

It took him less than four minutes to announce himself to the fans, opening the scoring as Nigeria were held to a 2-2 draw by the Ukrainians.

Aribo has spoken about the honour and expectations that come with wearing the green and white shirt.

"You know it’s a massive honour to represent Nigeria, first and foremost, but in terms of pressure, I didn’t realise how big it was until a little bit later on," ," Aribo said on the Calvin Bassey Collective podcast.

Recalling his first appearance for the Super Eagles, he admitted the occasion quickly became more intense than he had anticipated.

"I remember my debut, when I stepped out, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was mad but even moving down the line, just knowing that you have so many Nigerians that you want to do well for, it just adds pressure to you wanting to make everyone proud."

Aribo emphasised that playing for Nigeria comes with a constant demand for excellence, driven both by personal pride and the expectations of supporters worldwide.

"The biggest thing is to win every single game you play. Literally, no excuses. It's pressure but good pressure. You want to be the one to step up, make them happy."

Aribo has not featured for the Super Eagles since his cameo appearance against Ivory Coast in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.