Nottingham Forest and Nigeria defender Ola Aina has provided an update after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury sustained during the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
The 28-year-old pulled up in the first half of the 1-1 draw on September 9 and was replaced by Bright Osayi-Samuel. He was later ruled out for an estimated three months.
Successful surgery and recovery update
Aina has confirmed that he had surgery on September 13 and has already begun rehabilitation. In a message to fans via Instagram, the versatile full-back was optimistic.
“Surgery went really well and recovery is going smoothly. Looking forward to WHAM. A massive thank you to the club, @officialnffc, my teammates, and all the fans for the incredible support for the past few days, it’s meant a lot,” Aina wrote.
The statement eased concerns over his fitness, as Nottingham Forest prepare for a demanding run of fixtures in both domestic and European competitions.
Setback for club and country
The injury sidelines Aina for Forest’s league games and their return to European football, where his defensive stability and experience were expected to play a key role.
For Nigeria, the absence is equally damaging. Aina will miss World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Benin and Lesotho later this year, as well as a scheduled friendly against Venezuela in November.
His recovery timeline also places his availability for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in doubt.
Racing against time for AFCON
Aina has been ever-present in the Super Eagles’ defence in recent years, with consistency in full-back roles.
His absence forces head coach Eric Chelle to consider alternative options as Nigeria head into the continental showpiece this December.
