Blackburn Rovers have lauded Ryan Alebiosu following the defender’s remarkable rise from relative anonymity to earning his first senior international call-up with Nigeria.

The Sky Bet Championship side expressed their pride after Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle included Alebiosu in Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, announced on December 11.

Born in England to Nigerian parents, the 23-year-old was eligible to represent either country but has now pledged his international future to Nigeria. Until recently, Alebiosu was little known among Nigerian supporters, making his inclusion one of the standout surprises of the squad list.

His selection comes at an opportune time for the Super Eagles, with regular defenders Ola Aina and Benjamin Fredrick sidelined by injury. As a result, Alebiosu is expected to be in contention for a significant role when the tournament kicks off in Morocco.

While Blackburn acknowledged the challenge of losing an influential right-back at a key stage of the season, the club was quick to highlight the importance of his achievement.

“Although Rovers are disappointed to be without a key player at such a crucial point in the campaign, the club are immensely proud of Ryan’s development since his move to Ewood Park this summer, which has culminated in his first-ever senior international call-up,” Blackburn said in a statement on their official website.

Alebiosu is set to link up with his international teammates after Blackburn’s Championship clash with Portsmouth on Saturday.

Since joining the club in the summer, the defender has been ever-present under manager Valérien Ismaël, starting all 19 of Blackburn’s Sky Bet Championship fixtures this season and cementing his place as a regular starter.