‘I haven’t played more than 30 minutes in a game this season’: Arokodare tells Chelle ahead Rwanda, South Africa clashes
New Wolves forward, Tolu Arokodare has confessed that he is not fully fit for Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda and South Africa this month.
‘I’m not fully match fit yet, I haven’t played more than 30 minutes in a game this season. But I’m heading to the national team now, and hopefully I get some minutes. If not, I’ll stay fit and return ready to give my best for Wolves,’ he said after sealing his deal with the Premier League.
Arokodare is not the only player that will be coming match fit for the qualifiers.
The two players may be physically fit but this is different from being match fit.
Match fitness comes from playing actual matches, not just training. Even a super-fit player can struggle if they haven’t played competitively in weeks.
This is about being ready to perform at full intensity in a real game, like game-specific stamina (sustaining high effort for 90+ minutes) as well as sharpness and reaction speed under pressure.
