Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare could not hold back his tears after making his debut for the Super Eagles in their 2-0 victory over Rwanda in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The 24-year-old forward, who plays for Genk, was called up by Nigeria’s new head coach, Eric Chelle. He entered the game in the final minutes, replacing Victor Osimhen, who had scored both goals in the match.
After the game, Arokodare was seen in tears inside the dressing room. He later explained that his emotions were triggered when he hugged Osimhen, a player he looks up to.
In a video shared by OJB Sports, Arokodare said, “What a lot of people don’t know is I started crying when I hugged [Victor] Osimhen because I hugged him and said ‘thank you.’ I said in an interview he’s played a huge role in my career and life.”
For Arokodare, playing alongside Osimhen was a dream come true. His emotional reaction showed how much the moment meant to him as he took his first step in representing Nigeria at the senior level.
