Softfootball gathered, Tolu Arokodare has spoken candidly about his absence from AFCON 2025, the tournament hosted in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, which was eventually won by Senegal national football team after a dramatic final.
Speaking to Counter Attack, as reported by A2zFootball Hub on Facebook, Arokodare admitted he already sensed he would not make the squad following Nigeria’s World Cup playoff defeat to Congo, a match he felt did not reflect his best performance.
This were his statements:
To be very honest, I knew not anybody telling me. Since that Congo game because I would be very honest.
That Congo game, the way I came on and off, and the way the result went, I don’t want to talk about the chance I missed because anybody can miss a chance. I obviously was trying to score.
The way my last game went with the national team wasn’t really the best and the way the season was going with Wolves. I wasn’t playing as many minutes, I am like, Tolu be realistic, if you’re the coach, would you call yourself?
He further continued:
Look at the strikers, there was Osimhen, Onuachu, who was the top scorer in Turkey ahead of Osimhen, who is our top scorer in the national team,
There is Akor Adams, who is having a very good run with the national team, he was doing very well playing alongside Osimhen.
So, it was between me, Dessers, Moffi, and Boniface, who were in the same situation as me and he was struggling with fitness.
When I saw the list and I didn’t see my name, I won’t say it was hurtful but I would say, it was painful to know you weren’t selected
AFCON 2025 ended with the Nigeria national football team securing a third-place finish beating egypt on penalties having players such as Calvin Bassey, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were instrumental in the Super Eagles’ campaign.
For Arokodare, the disappointment appears to have turned into motivation, a reminder of the fierce competition for places and the high standards required at international level.
