Benin Republic forward, Tosin Aiyegun, has expressed his determination to deny Nigeria a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to a report by Own Goal Nigeria on Monday, October 13, 2025, the forward revealed that his motivation stems from the disappointment of being overlooked by his country of birth.
“Nigeria have so many good players in top leagues around the world, especially in my position. So they stopped me from following my dream of playing for the Super Eagles,” he told owngoalnigeria.
“Now I am motivated to stop them from qualifying for the World Cup,” he added.
The Lorient forward emphasized that Benin Republic’s impressive journey so far is no fluke, attributing their success to discipline and teamwork.
The 26-year-old striker, who scored the decisive goal in Benin Republic’s 1–0 away victory over Rwanda, is full of confidence ahead of Tuesday’s all-important clash against the Super Eagles in Uyo.
The result in Kigali placed the Cheetahs in a commanding position to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history — needing only to avoid defeat against Nigeria to secure their ticket.
Aiyegun, who plays for French Ligue 1 side FC Lorient, was born in Nigeria to a Beninese father and a Nigerian mother.
After being repeatedly overlooked by the Nigerian national team setup, he chose to represent Benin Republic, where he has since become a key figure.
However, all eyes will now be on Uyo as Benin Republic look to make history, while Nigeria fight to keep their World Cup hopes alive. See, More, Here>>>
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