Last Saturday, Victor Osimhen got on his Instagram live and had some pretty strong words for the Nigerian National team’s ex-coach; Finidi George. In this article, we discuss what Osimhen said and what led to the outburst.
Earlier on Saturday, Finidi George resigned from his position as Nigeria’s coach. His resignation came after two poor performances in the World Cup qualifier games against South Africa and Benin Republic. Nigeria drew 1-1 against South Africa in Uyo earlier in the month and three days later lost 2-1 to Benin Republic. The country’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup now hang in the balance. As a result of the poor performances Finidi George came under fire and immense pressure with fans and pundits calling for his sack and expressing very little confidence in him. On Saturday, news broke that he had resigned from his position.
What happened?
Following the Super Eagles’ catastrophic defeat to the Benin Republic, a meeting was held between the NFF and Finidi George to determine the way forward as Nigeria languishes in fifth place and risks missing out on the 2026 World Cup. During the meeting, Finidi was reported to have said that he would not beg Victor Osimhen to play for the Super Eagles.
Victor Osimhen who was noticeably absent from the squad that played both matches and was not even in the training camp came across this information. The player thought he was being scapegoated by the manager for the team’s poor performance at the qualifiers and took to his Instagram Live to state his case and express himself. A furious Osimhen spoke about how he had always given everything for the national teammate and revealed that he missed the matches because he was injured. He also said that he had promptly informed Finidi George of his situation and even got the coach to speak to his Doctor. In the end, the player said that he had lost all respect for ex-coach.
The viral video triggered a plethora of reactions from Nigerians. Some felt that he was being disrespectful and should have handled it better while others felt that his reaction was justified.
What Did Finidi George Actually Say?
According to Colin Udoh; a sports journalist and former media officer of the Super Eagles, the ex-coach has denied making the statement Osimhen reacted to. The journalist reported that it was only when the issue of player commitment was raised that the ex-coach said that he would not beg any footballer to play for the team. He never mentioned Victor Osimhen’s name or singled out the player. In fact when the issue of Osimhen’s absence was raised, Finidi told the officials that the Napoli man had called him about his injury explaining the reason for his absence.
What Now?
In the aftermath of the debacle, Osimhen may face disciplinary action from the Nigerian Football Federation. The player may be asked to issue a public apology to the ex-coach and risks losing his place in the National team. The entire saga should never have happened in the first place. It casts a negative light on the team and can impact the team’s ability to deliver on the pitch. The NFF needs to get its house in order as soon as possible and avoid a repeat of this situation.
How do you think things will play out for Osimhen and the Super Eagles going forward?