Osimhen speaks out after controversy: “The Weight Is on Me”
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen finally addressed the backlash over his behavior during Nigeria’s recent Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Speaking candidly, the forward reflected on the pressure of leading the Super Eagles.
“When we did not qualify for the World Cup, everyone called just me out. They forgot about other players. That’s when I understood the weight is on me,” Osimhen said. He added that, despite Nigeria scoring three goals in recent matches, players must remain vigilant. “Yes, we scored three goals already, but in football, five goals can be scored in three minutes. That’s why we did not have to relax. The whole country is counting on us, and if we fail, they’ll drag us everywhere—especially me.”
Osimhen also defended teammate Ademola Lookman, emphasizing their strong bond. “I love Lookman, he is my brother and he understands that was just football. Everyone wants Nigeria to win the AFCON and it doesn’t come easy. We must do our best.”
The striker’s statement underlines both the immense expectations on Nigeria’s stars and his personal commitment to carrying the team through the tournament.
#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025
#AFCON2025
#Osimhen
That’s what a central striker does! Carry the weight of your nation’s expectations on your shoulders… Not being carried by the team like one Patson Daka.
We are a below average team with no basic skills like passing, heading the ball, ball trapping, drilling, chest passing, chest stopping, feigning, running with the ball, e.t.c. All our players know is running and general physical fitness. Nothing else. Even lowly teams like Botswana, Uganda, Tanzania are better than us noew.
We have a generation of not only unskilled players but also untrainable ones…full of headless running and very emotional with no soccer intelligence at all.
What is worse, journalists and politicians support them so they don’t see the need to improve. The goals they score are all from mistakes I’m the box by opponents…not from our creation.
We are now at the level of Comoros Islands and Swaziland. In the compounds, you find children training how to somersault jump not dribbling and basic soccer skills like we used to do in the 70s and 80s.
Any manager we employ will always suffer to create a winning team. All is now focussed on money. What a shame.