Nigeria midfielder Joe Aribo is delighted to be entrusted with the iconic number 10 jersey, Completesports.com reports.
Aribo was surprisingly handed the shirt on his debut for the three-time African champions in a friendly against Ukraine in September 2019.
The 24-year-old opened scoring for the Super Eagles with a sublime goal in the 2-2 draw.
The former Charlton Athletic player also scored another superb goal on his second appearance the following month , a 1-1 draw in the friendly against former world champions Brazil.
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The number was made popular by former football stars; Pele, Diego Maradona and Nigerian legend Austine Okocha.
Aribo hopes to do justice and carry on the legacy of all the players who have worn the number before him.
‘Getting called up was a surreal feeling and one I definitely didn’t expect, from where I’ve come from but it just showed me how far I’ve come,” Aribo told the Daily Mail.
‘I’ll never forget my first game with the No.10. They left the spot [in the changing room] for me and I didn’t sit there because I was thinking “this can’t be me.”
‘They said “no, this is you” and when I was warming up I was thinking “yo, this is crazy. The ten for Nigeria.” I didn’t know how to feel. A crazy feeling. In football, let alone Nigeria the No.10 shirt is iconic. If you’re wearing it you’ve got to be a good player so I feel like I have to be good.’
By Adeboye Amosu
21 Comments
Keep it up Aribo. That is life for you. Just thank your God for his mercy. I’m very proud of you.
Don’t relent. Learn how to become a freekicks and a penalty specialist.
That no10 is so spectacular and special.
You can do it Aribo. I am happy for you. God bless Nigeria!!!
Definitely
Joe Aribo is now in a level where he’s been given a number that is known for legendary acts. He now needs to know how to score free kicks . Funny , he’s supposed to know this . The very moment that number 10 was given to him .
I hope he makes the very best of the opportunity given to him
Rohr also should stop using him ass DM and make him play as a CAM so that he can display his assets for the national team
Haters say Etebo is far better than Aribo. If Hatred get wings e go fly to their houses. Water no suppose get enemy. Aribo Jah bless you and the joy bring to Nigeria.
We know why they are hating. It is obviously an agenda-driven hatred. Bunch of clowns, they are always the first to yell out tribalism why they are actually the most culpable.
If Eze or Olise comes in, I don’t think he (Aribo) can retain that shirt number but time will tell.
Is Aribo a DM, CM or CAM??
Simply Best at CAM but our defensive coach plays him in a wrong position for Nigeria hence underperforms. So people think he’s not good enough. Then he goes back to Scotland and he’s been played in his preferred role and he becomes a Star player again. God help us for this country.
Aribo is very technical player with a strong left foot…he is also very calm and emphatic in his finishing… thank God SE is producing alot of left footers this days in all positions in order to balance the team…in 2018 we went to the WC with only kelechi and ogu as the left footers but now we have Collins zaidu chukwueze aribo olise kelechi moffi and more to come
With Olise and Ejaria coming in soon hopefully, anyone wearing that number 10 jersey will be under pressure to deliver, as the competition for the jersey will be very hot.
Sideways and backwards passes are ok sometimes. They serve a purpose in football, that is, ball retention. But when 90% of your game is sideways and backwards passes, and you’re wearing Nigeria’s number 10 jersey, then something is wrong somewhere.
Granted, the NFF are not making life easy, with the poor surfaces the players have to play on. I really believe that on a world class pitch, these guys can do much better. Cases in point, Aribo’s performance against Ukraine and Brazil in his first 2 games.
Having said that, we want to see Aribo perform for Nigeria the way he does for his club Rangers. At Rangers, he has been used effectively in the AM, DM, CM, and winger roles. So I don’t buy the argument that he is being used in a wrong position by Rohr.
Advise no be curse ooo. To encourage a player to do better is not hate. It’s called constructive criticism.
Aribo is never used as a DM in Rangers. I can’t even remember when last Gerrard used him as a CM sef. He plays mostly in the CAM and occasionally in the RW.
Aribo played as a DM once last season and as a CM several times this season.
Let them encourage Iwualu and groom him to play no 10 not wing… that guy has the strength and guts of 10lions!
I don’t understand why you always reason backwards when people are moving fast forward, no be only iwuala you for also include junior lokosa or rabiu Ali. Nonsense & jimmyoffside!
Hahaha… I just posted to see who will attack. You just bite the bait hard…. Sorry.
Jimbo, I am actually with you on this!
Iwuala has the attributes of a number 10. Can also take care of business on the wings. With the talent we currently have, he has to keep working hard to get more opportunities in the SE. But as we saw against Benin and Lesotho, if you give him a chance to play, he will deliver.
Yes! he is a box to box player but should improve in the level of his ball artistry.
You are right brother man.
Etebo plays the midfield role better than aribo, if we are playing two midfielders I will prefer Ndidi Etebo; Ndidi Abdulahi, Ndidi oliseh, if we play three midfielders aribo or Iwobi is better as the Am, but in the case of 442, i will choose between iheanacho and aribo who stands behind the striker and also aribo can be use to substitute chukueze, aribo is as dangerous as chukueze and iheanacho if he plays similar wings with the both, he will give us iheanacho character as a second striker and can even do more becos of his dribblings and runs with the ball. he will also do fine in absence of chukueze in that right wing bcos I have seen him play there for rangers the guy is as fast and skillfull as chukueze but there is something he had more which is his final balls was better than chukwuezes though chukueze dribbles faster. these are the position aribo will be more of use to us. but as DM or CM box to box that guy will waste his talents there, besides he doesn’t have eyes for long pass options, he prefers the short pass build ups resulting to side ways passes pompei alerted in his coment,
aribo is one stone for three birds he can replace iwobi as Am, he can replace iheanacho as second striker and can comfortably replace chukueze as right winger, as deep midfielder I am sorry he doesn’t have that quality not even iwobi have that quality either the options for rohr for CM or box to box are Etebo,oliseh,ejiara,nwakali,azubuike,nwobodo. rohr should pick from this guys and stop stressing aribo for that role.
@Collinsid;
I don’t think Olise and Ejaria are box-to-box midfielders(which i understand to be DM) oh, ditto for Eze. Go take a watch at their clips again, they flourish best as CM, AM or left/right midfield roles.
#MyOpinionThough
Box to box role in the midfield is slightly different from defensive midfield role, it’s actually another name for CM role, ejiara is a natural cm who likes to dictate the game both from deep and upfront similar to nwakali, the fact that he plays out of position (left wing) is the main reason he is not been at his best this season, he doesn’t feel comfortable there, though not doing bad based on skill workshop. oliseh is very strong and versatile, he can operate from any part of the midfield, he his got great Ball sense and have long range passes in his pocket, these are the attitude of CM, long range pass, Skills, dribbles, long range shots, ruggedity and accuracy, defensive and offensive ability.
Dey spell these guys name well naa!
I go vex o. Smile: guys I hail una o.