“Everyone blames me”
Star striker Osimhen causes scandal in the national team
15.06.2024, 18:38
Things are not going well for the Nigerian national football team in the World Cup qualifiers. And off the pitch, a verbal mudslinging match is developing. At the center of it all: star striker Victor Osimhen. He reacts angrily to accusations from his coach.
Naples’ star striker Victor Osimhen has caused a scandal in the Nigerian national football team. “I have lost all respect that I have for him,” said the 25-year-old in a video posted on Instagram about Finidi George, the previous national coach of the Super Eagles. George is said to have claimed that he would not beg Osimhen to play for the national team. In his opinion, Osimhen could have played. The striker, however, stressed that it was impossible for him to play due to a muscle injury.
Without Osimhen, currently Africa’s Footballer of the Year, Nigeria only got one point from the World Cup qualifiers against South Africa (1:1) and Benin (1:2) and fell to a disappointing fifth and second to last place in the group. According to Nigerian media reports, these were George’s last games for the time being, and a new coach is to be found. It is not yet known who his possible successor will be.
“I asked Finidi George to allow me to stay with the players in the camp but Finidi told me not to worry about it, to stay with my family,” Osimhen explained why he was also absent from the matches. “Now, after two bad games, everyone is blaming me,” he lamented. “I know how many injuries I have played with for Nigeria and I played with my heart and soul, but after two bad games, everyone is now attacking me,” Osimhen continued in an emotional tone.