Arokodare opens up on biggest improvement

 Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has identified his professionalism as the biggest area he needs to improve upon, despite being the current top scorer in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League with just one round of matches to end the season.

The Genk forward, who has been included in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers this month, made this honest self-assessment during a revealing interview about his personal growth as a professional footballer.

“Although I am certainly not where I want and need to be, because if I am honest with myself, my professionalism is one of my biggest areas of improvement,” Arokodare told Het Belang van Limburg.

The 24-year-old striker, whose goalscoring exploits have made him a standout performer in Belgium this season, provided a surprising insight into his personality, admitting that his openness and desire to please everyone have sometimes worked against him.

“I always think that everyone is my friend, but in the end that is not true. I am always talking and trying to explain things, but I really need to learn to just keep my mouth shut sometimes,” he revealed.

Arokodare acknowledged that his talkative nature could be detrimental to his career, suggesting that limiting his expressiveness might help mask some of his weaknesses. The Nigeria international further explained that his tendency to over-communicate is a deeply ingrained trait that has been challenging to overcome.

“I am convinced that my worse qualities would not be so noticeable if I chatted less often,” the striker said.

“I work very hard on it, but it is incredibly difficult. I am now 24 years old and have been very open all that time, it is extremely difficult to change something that you have been doing your whole life.”

Arokodare’s candid self-reflection comes at a crucial time in his career as he prepares for international duty with the Super Eagles in their upcoming World Cup qualification matches.

His inclusion in Coach Eric Chelle’s final 23-man squad suggests that his professional development and goalscoring ability have not gone unnoticed despite the areas he feels he needs to improve.

The striker’s honesty about his weaknesses demonstrates a level of self-awareness that could ultimately help him fulfill his potential both at club level with Genk and on the international stage with Nigeria.