BBC · Aug 21, 2025
How cage football unlocked Aribo's potential
Image caption, Joe Aribo set up the Aribo Foundation to help renovate the local cage which he played in as a childFollowing a hugely disappointing Premier League relegation campaign at Southampton last season, a trip down memory lane can still put a smile on Joe Aribo's face.
The Nigeria midfielder is visiting the artificial pitch in Mitcham, south London, where he grew up.
Surrounded by a tall green chain-link fence, Aribo says playing football in the cage made him "the player I am today".
"In the summer, I'd be here from the morning until night time," the 29-year-old explains to BBC Sport Africa.