Blackburn Say They’re Proud of Alebiosu’s Progress After Super Eagles Call-Up

Championship club Blackburn Rovers have expressed pride in defender Ryan Alebiosu after he earned his first senior call-up to the Super Eagles for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

In an official statement, Blackburn acknowledged that they are “disappointed to be losing a key player at such a crucial stage in the season” but highlighted their satisfaction with Alebiosu’s development since joining the club in the summer. The right-back’s progress has culminated in international recognition for the first time in his career.

Alebiosu, who started every one of Blackburn’s Championship fixtures this season, is expected to link up with the Nigeria camp following their next league game. He could feature for Nigeria at AFCON as cover at right-back especially with Ola Aina sidelined with injury.

Blackburn also noted that should Alebiosu’s Nigeria side advance deep into the tournament, he risks missing several Championship fixtures, which partly explains their measured disappointment. However, the club reiterated its pride in seeing his hard work rewarded at international level.

Editorial

There are moments in a player’s journey that transcend club allegiance when performance, identity and opportunity intersect. Ryan Alebiosu’s first call-up to the Super Eagles for the Africa Cup of Nations is exactly that sort of moment a milestone that speaks to personal progress and professional fulfilment.

For Blackburn Rovers, the club’s dual sentiment disappointed at his temporary absence yet proud of his emergence is a microcosm of modern football’s realities. Clubs invest time, resources and tactical trust in players yet when those players are called by national teams, the spotlight turns outward. Blackburn’s statement places emphasis not on inconvenience, but on Alebiosu’s development, acknowledging that earning international honours is both rare and significant for any player, let alone one still carving his path in competitive English football.

Alebiosu’s rise from Arsenal’s youth ranks through loan spells, Belgian and Scottish football, to a key role in Blackburn’s side — has been incremental yet purposeful. Now, the step into senior international football reflects a broader narrative talent honed through diverse experiences, now ready to serve on a bigger stage.

In a broader sense, this moment speaks to the intrinsic link between club and country. National team selection is not merely an honour; it is affirmation. For Blackburn, the club’s pride is more than a courtesy — it is recognition of an academy system and recruitment strategy that identified and nurtured potential. For Alebiosu, the AFCON call-up is a defining chapter that could reshape both his confidence and his trajectory.

And while fans and club officials will wistfully calculate the games he might miss, that is the price of progress. In football, advancement often demands sacrifice and witnessing one of your own rise to international acclaim is a sacrifice most clubs quietly celebrate.

Did You Know?

1. Ryan Alebiosu was born in London and developed through the Arsenal academy, spending more than a decade with the Gunners before embarking on his senior career.
2. He qualified for Nigeria through his parents’ heritage and secured his first Nigerian passport ahead of AFCON, making him eligible for the Super Eagles after previously being uncapped for England.
3. Since joining Blackburn Rovers in July 2025, Alebiosu has become a regular starter, featuring in every Championship game this season up to his call-up.
4. At 23 years old, Alebiosu stands at 1.88 m (6′2″) — an imposing height for a modern full-back, combining physical presence with defensive agility.
5. If Nigeria reach the AFCON final, Alebiosu could miss up to eight Championship matches for Blackburn, a reality both club and player will have to manage.