Just as Tolu Arokodare, Rafiu Durosinmi and Gift Orban all displayed fine performance this weekend, it’s very obvious that not every Nigerian footballer in form will make the Super Eagles squad for AFCON.
That reality sits at the heart of every tournament year, no matter how loud the outside noise gets. Selection is never a pure reward system; it is a mix of timing, profile fit, tactical trust, squad balance, and sometimes, simple circumstance.
Yet some omissions linger longer than others. The recent performances of Arokodare, Durosinmi, and Orban have reopened a familiar debate—not about injustice, but about how thin the margins are at the highest international level.
These are three forwards scoring goals in different leagues, under different conditions, carrying very different national-team stories.
Tolu Arokodare: the surprise exclusion
Arokodare’s case stands out because of context. He was not an outsider looking in. He featured in eight matches during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign and was part of the attacking rotation when results mattered most.
For that reason alone, his omission from the final AFCON squad landed heavily.
What makes the decision harder to ignore is timing. Arokodare ended an 11-game Premier League drought at the weekend, scoring moments after stepping off the bench for Wolverhampton Wanderers against Arsenal.
It was a tight striker’s goal—quick movement, close-range header—but a significant one. He became the first Nigerian to score a Premier League goal for Wolves, even though the match ended in defeat.
This is a forward whose club career has been built on consistency. Twenty-one goals for Genk last season. Twelve the year before.
His scoring record in Belgium was never accidental, and even in England, where Wolves are struggling badly, he has continued to offer presence, movement, and directness.
Dropping a striker who had already been trusted during qualifiers was always going to raise eyebrows. Not because Arokodare is flawless, but because international squads usually lean on continuity. When that continuity is broken, the explanation has to be convincing.
Rafiu Durosinmi: close, but not close enough
Durosinmi’s situation is quieter but no less telling. Unlike Arokodare, he is still chasing his first senior cap.
Making the provisional 54-man list felt like a breakthrough moment—a sign that his performances in the Czech Republic were finally cutting through.
His goal for Viktoria Plzen at the weekend was the type that strengthens his argument.
Strength on the ball, balance under pressure, and composure in the finish. Seven league goals, thirteen across all competitions, plus contributions in both the Champions League and Europa League—this is not a player padding numbers in isolation.
Yet international football often moves at a slower pace than club form. Coaches tend to lean toward known quantities in major tournaments, especially in attacking roles where chemistry matters. For Durosinmi, the gap between recognition and selection remains narrow but real.
The frustration is understandable. Being named, then cut, can feel worse than being ignored entirely.
Still, his form suggests patience rather than panic. For players in his category, the door usually opens gradually, not all at once.
Gift Orban scores while outside Super Eagles plans
Orban’s story is different again. He was never part of the AFCON discussion, and that silence says almost as much as his goals.
His brace for Hellas Verona against Fiorentina—one early, one in stoppage time—was a reminder of the raw impact he can deliver when rhythm returns.
Since his injury setback after his first Super Eagles call-up in 2023, Orban’s career has been uneven.
Club instability and limited minutes slowed his momentum, and at the international level, momentum matters more than promise.
There is also a bigger subplot here. Orban has not yet made his Nigeria debut and remains eligible to represent another country.
That reality adds urgency, whether spoken or not. Goals like the ones he scored against Fiorentina do more than win matches; they force conversations that had gone quiet.
Selection, timing, and fine margins
What links these three players is not exclusion alone, but timing. Arokodare scored when questions were already being asked. Durosinmi keeps scoring while waiting for a first chance. Orban scored twice despite not being part of the plan at all.
AFCON squads are rarely picked in isolation. They reflect months of internal decisions, tactical preferences, and trust built away from the spotlight.
Sometimes form arrives too late. Sometimes it arrives in the wrong league. Sometimes it arrives without the right history attached.
None of these situations automatically demand a reversal. But they do remind us that the Super Eagles’ attacking depth is real, competitive, and constantly evolving.
For the players left behind, the message is clear: goals still matter, but timing matters just as much.
And for the selectors, the challenge remains the same—choosing not just the best scorers, but the right ones for the moment.
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