Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has reaffirmed his belief in himself, insisting that he belongs in the English Premier League even as he works his way back from injury and limited minutes this season.
Awoniyi, who joined Nottingham Forest in 2022 and has been a notable figure in their squad — including scoring goals in previous Premier League campaigns recently declared that he sees himself as a Premier League-level forward and is ready to contribute fully again when called upon.
The 28 year old’s confidence comes amid a challenging season in which he has struggled for consistent starts due to injury setbacks and fierce competition, but he has shown signs of resurgence, including scoring in Forest’s 2–0 win over Brentford, where his goal helped ease relegation fears.
Awoniyi’s statement reflects his self-belief and ambition to re-establish himself as a key attacking force in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.
EDITORIAL
Football careers are rarely neat narratives of uninterrupted ascent — more often they are a series of peaks, valleys and those quiet affirmations of identity that keep a player’s internal compass pointing true. Taiwo Awoniyi’s declaration that “I am a Premier League player” is not bravado, but the distilled expression of a professional who has weathered both injury and adversity at the highest level.
The Premier League is unforgiving relentless in its tempo, unremitting in its judgment, and exacting in its demands. For a striker like Awoniyi, whose path to this stage traversed multiple leagues, countries and setbacks, staking a claim to belonging is a statement of resilience as much as ambition.
It’s easy to assess a season by starts and goals alone, but what matters equally and perhaps more so, is how a player perceives his place within the contest. A striker who can look in the mirror and reaffirm his value, especially after injury struggles and limited minutes, reveals a psychological strength that often translates into impact when the opportunity arrives. His goal against Brentford, lifting Forest further from the drop zone, was not just a moment on the scoresheet but a reminder of that very identity he professes.
In the crescendo of Premier League battle, where belief is as crucial as technique, Awoniyi’s self-belief could be precisely what Forest need — not just for survival but for a narrative that still has many pivotal chapters left to be written.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Taiwo Awoniyi joined Nottingham Forest in 2022 for a club-record fee, moving from Union Berlin to the Premier League side.
- He recently scored in Nottingham Forest’s 2–0 Premier League win over Brentford, helping the club ease relegation worries.
- That goal was his first in over a year, coming after a difficult injury period that included emergency abdominal surgery last season.
- Awoniyi has represented Nigeria at senior level and is part of the Super Eagles setup alongside other Nigerian stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
- Despite recent struggles for starts this season, he remains confident and has publicly affirmed that he considers himself a Premier League calibre player.
