Victor Boniface claimed that missing out of Nigeria’s squad to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was painful.
Boniface was one of the players tipped to make huge impact at the competition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.
An adductor injury sustained few days to the start of the competition however put paid to his ambition of playing at his first AFCON finals.
Lanky hitman Paul Onuachu was later called up as his replacement in the squad.
Boniface, who was sidelined for around three months revealed that having good people around him made it easier for him to cope with the disappointment.
“It was difficult, one of the most painful moments of my career – not only the injury itself, but of course also my absence from the Africa Cup of Nations and some important Bundesliga games,” Boniface told Transfermarkt.
“But that’s football, you have ups, you have downs. It’s about your attitude, your mindset. You need the right people around you in moments like this. I had the support of the club – that was important.”