The Nigeria Football Federation has moved to quell reports of a significant rift within the Super Eagles camp during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, following an on-field confrontation between star striker Victor Osimhen and his teammate Ademola Lookman. This incident occurred during Nigeria’s commanding 4-0 victory over Mozambique at the Fez Stadium. While Osimhen netted twice and Lookman added another goal, the dominant performance was marred by a visible altercation between the two prominent players shortly after the hour mark. The situation escalated when Osimhen, who later requested to be substituted, appeared to confront Lookman in a viral video, seemingly over a missed passing opportunity in a prime scoring position. The Galatasaray forward then proceeded directly to the dressing room, leaving the field before his teammates. Although Lookman, who was deservedly named Man of the Match, publicly dismissed suggestions of a deep-seated rift in his post-match interview, the NFF has now confirmed that the matter has been addressed internally. “There is no problem whatsoever in our camp,” stated Team Administrator Dayo Enebi. “Whatever people saw as a crisis between two brothers was easily resolved a couple of hours later. All is good.” Reports suggesting Osimhen threatened to depart the team’s camp have also been firmly denied by Super Eagles Media Officer Promise Efoghe. “The primary issues and the aftermath of the on-field remonstration between two of our players during the game against Mozambique have been resolved internally,” Efoghe confirmed in a team update. “Kindly ignore all reports suggesting otherwise.” Despite these official assurances, the incident has sparked considerable debate among former internationals and football stakeholders, with a range of opinions on Osimhen’s conduct and the appropriate response. Veteran journalist Charles Anazodo suggested that the striker should be removed from the starting lineup for Nigeria’s upcoming quarter-final match, while pundit Segun Agbede cautioned that no single player should be considered more important than the team. “If the coach doesn’t drop Osimhen, it shows that he is bigger than the entire team and the NFF,” Anazodo remarked during a radio discussion. Agbede elaborated, “This is the consequence of his outburst against Finidi, which he got away with. I condemned that outright. The incident against Zimbabwe was also bad, though understandable. I don’t think they should drop him, but he must know he is not bigger than his teammates. We have created a monster, and it’s time to tame the monster.” Football administrator Deji Gbenro took a more critical stance, advocating for the striker’s immediate return home. “Have you seen any of his teammates shout at him for missing chances or straying into offside positions? Ideally, he should be sent home. He needs to apologise to his teammates and coaches for that silly behaviour,” Gbenro asserted. Former international and 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Obafemi Abiodun, also believes Osimhen owes his teammates and coaches an apology to avoid more severe sanctions. “Sending him home may be too extreme if he apologises,” Abiodun told The PUNCH. “But if he fails to apologise, he should be sent home without delay. There must be open remorse to keep team spirit intact; without remorse, there should be no forgiveness for the sake of precedence.” Conversely, former Super Eagles player and 1980 AFCON winner, Sylvanus Okpala, downplayed the seriousness of the situation. “As a coach, these things happen among footballers,” Okpala stated. “We were leading 3–0, some players want to gamble while others want to score more. I don’t think it’s a problem, and I don’t think he’s going back to Turkey. We’ve seen coaches get angry too.” Former Super Eagles goalkeeping trainer Alloy Agu and ex-winger Garba Lawal also emphasized the importance of maintaining team focus on their objectives. “No matter what happens, we must remember that there is another game ahead of us and stay focused,” Agu advised. “Even in families, issues arise and must be resolved before moving on.” Lawal added, “Lookman spoke after the game as well. I believe this issue should be put aside so the team can focus on the matches ahead.” Captain of the team, Wilfred Ndidi, characterized the outburst as a manifestation of healthy competitive spirit. “It was just a competitive mindset,” the midfielder explained to ESPN. “We wanted more, we agreed we wanted more. In that moment, when two people really want it, this is what happens. Of course we spoke about it in the dressing room, everything is fine. Everyone is in this together.” Following their successful qualification for the quarter-finals, Nigeria is set to face Algeria in their next match, after Algeria secured their progression by defeating DR Congo 1-0 after extra time. The resolution of the Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman altercation is crucial for maintaining team cohesion as the Super Eagles advance in the Africa Cup of Nations. The NFF’s swift intervention aims to prevent further distractions and ensure the team remains united and focused on their ultimate goal of winning the tournament, demonstrating that internal conflicts are best resolved privately. The team’s performance and their ability to overcome such challenges will be closely watched as they progress through the competition.
