Sports
Osimhen Threatens to Quit Super Eagles After AFCON Clash With Lookman
Nigeria’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Mozambique to book a place in the AFCON quarter-finals has been overshadowed by a dramatic on-pitch bust-up involving star striker Victor Osimhen, who is now reportedly threatening to quit the Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles delivered one of their most dominant performances of the tournament on Monday night, brushing aside Mozambique with ease to keep their AFCON title hopes alive. Goals flowed freely, confidence surged, and a quarter-final clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo now beckons.
However, celebrations quickly gave way to controversy following a heated confrontation between Osimhen and teammate Ademola Lookman that stunned fans and officials alike.
Ironically, the tension came after moments of impressive chemistry between the duo. In the 25th minute, Alex Iwobi split the defence with a brilliant pass to Lookman, who unselfishly squared the ball for Osimhen to score. The pair celebrated together, sliding across the turf alongside Bruno Onyemaechi. Shortly after the break, Lookman again turned provider, setting up Osimhen for his second goal, with the Galatasary striker leaping into Lookman’s arms in celebration.
Osimhen grew visibly frustrated as several attacking moves broke down without the ball reaching him. When Lookman opted to dribble instead of passing in a promising position, and when Onyemaechi and Akor Adams later drove into the box rather than squaring to an unmarked Osimhen, the striker threw his hands up in anger.
As Lookman walked over to take a corner kick, Osimhen confronted him aggressively, pointing in his face. Captain Wilfred Ndidi attempted to calm the situation but was brushed aside, with Osimhen slapping Ndidi’s arm away. In a bizarre twist, Mozambique defender Reinildo was the one who physically stepped in to separate the Nigerian players.
Osimhen then signalled angrily to the bench that he wanted to be substituted. He was promptly withdrawn for Moses Simon despite Nigeria cruising at 3–0.
While the rest of the squad and coaching staff gathered in a huddle on the pitch, Osimhen headed straight down the tunnel. He reportedly left the dressing room early and sat alone on the team bus while teammates remained inside handling post-match media duties. Witnesses described a notable lack of effort to console or check on the Super Eagles vice-captain.
Confirmed reports from within the Super Eagles camp claim Osimhen stormed out of the stadium, dropped his accreditation, and declared he was “done” with the national team, insisting he was returning to Turkey. Senior Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials are said to have rushed to intervene, with the federation’s president reportedly attempting to calm the striker, while some officials suggested he should be left alone to cool off.
Osimhen’s latest outburst has revived concerns over his temperament. In June 2024, he publicly clashed with then-head coach Finidi George on social media, but sources around the team believe this incident represents a far more serious flashpoint.
Lookman has been Nigeria’s standout performer at this AFCON, registering seven direct goal contributions three goals and four assists the highest tally at the tournament so far. Osimhen, meanwhile, remains a fan favourite and is just three goals shy of equalling Rashidi Yekini’s all-time Super Eagles scoring record, yet has cut a visibly frustrated figure throughout the competition.
For now, Nigeria’s commanding progress at AFCON has taken a back seat. The Super Eagles are soaring on the pitch, but off it, they face a potentially destabilising crisis, with their star striker reportedly threatening to walk away from the national badge.
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