Why Sunday Oliseh “blames” Osimhen for Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 fallout

AFCON 2025 may be remembered not just for what Nigeria achieved; but for the thin line between dominance and dysfunction, and how temperament, not talent, can decide titles at the highest level

Nigeria left Morocco with bronze medals, broken momentum, and a lingering question that refuses to go away: what went wrong when everything seemed to be going right?

For former Super Eagles captain and midfield general Sunday Oliseh, the answer is neither tactical nor accidental. He believes the fracture that cost Nigeria a shot at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title began from within, sparked by a moment of public confrontation involving the team’s biggest star, Victor Osimhen.

According to Oliseh, Osimhen’s on-pitch outburst at teammate Ademola Lookman destabilised the Super Eagles at a critical stage of the tournament, disrupting team chemistry and draining the psychological edge required to win AFCON.

A tournament of promise, ending in what might have been

Nigeria eventually closed their AFCON 2025 campaign by defeating Egypt on penalties in the third-place playoff, securing a record-extending ninth bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.

But for Oliseh, the bronze only underlined the missed opportunity. This was a Super Eagles side that had balance, goals, confidence, and momentum; until it didn’t.

The Mozambique incident that changed everything

Oliseh traces the turning point back to Nigeria’s Round-of-16 clash against Mozambique, a match the Super Eagles won emphatically 4–0.

On paper, it was dominant. Lookman provided two assists. Osimhen scored twice. Yet the performance was overshadowed by a second-half incident in which Osimhen angrily confronted Lookman for failing to pass to him in what he felt was a clear scoring opportunity.

While Lookman and head coach Eric Chelle played down the episode publicly, Oliseh insists the damage was already done.

From AFCON’s brightest light to a sudden silence

The numbers add weight to Oliseh’s argument.

Before the confrontation, Lookman had been Nigeria’s standout performer at AFCON 2025; three goals and four assists in his first three matches, emerging as one of the tournament’s most influential players.

After the Mozambique match, the drop-off was stark.

Against Algeria, a 2–0 quarterfinal win, Lookman registered neither a goal nor an assist.
In the semi-final against Morocco, Nigeria struggled creatively and were eliminated on penalties after 120 minutes of goalless football.
Benched for the third-place playoff against Egypt, Nigeria again failed to score in open play, advancing only via penalties.

For Oliseh, the pattern was impossible to ignore.

“Talent is not license”

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh delivered a blunt and emotional assessment.

“Let’s look at the toxicity that might have caused us (Nigeria) the AFCON title.”

“We are confusing talent with license. Victor Osimhen is world class but talent is not license to destroy team chemistry.”

He continued:

“Look at the evidence. Since that public outburst against Ademola Lookman, one of our brightest lights, Lookman became a shadow of himself and we lost the bite.”

For Oliseh, the issue was not footballing quality, but psychology.

“When you publicly diminish your teammates, you break their spirit. You destroy the very confidence a team needs to survive a semifinal.”

“Against a team as tactically sharp as Morocco, we needed our best players at a hundred percent.”

He added:

“Statistically, Ademola Lookman was the most dangerous player in the tournament, until that public verbal abuse broke his focus.”

“You can’t expect a playmaker to perform a miracle on the pitch when he has been demoralised by his own teammate.”

And finally:

“The conflict did its damage. We didn’t just lose a game, we lost the psychological edge needed to win.”

A wider warning for Nigerian football

Oliseh’s critique went beyond a single incident.

He referenced a previous controversy involving Osimhen, when the striker now with Galatasaray, posted a video criticising Finidi George during his time as Super Eagles head coach.

While acknowledging Osimhen’s immense value, Oliseh was clear: no individual is above the collective.

“Scoring goals for Nigeria doesn’t give you a license to disrespect certified legends like Finidi George or Victor Ikpeba.”

“It doesn’t give you the right to disrespect your coaches or teammates.”

His warning was stark:

“If we don’t fix the discipline and the administration, there won’t be a Super Eagles left to support.”

Legacy at a crossroads

There is no disputing Osimhen’s place in Nigerian football history. He is the Super Eagles’ second all-time highest goalscorer, and his strike against Algeria at AFCON 2025 was his 35th international goal, leaving him just two behind the late Rashidi Yekini.

But as Oliseh sees it, greatness is not measured by goals alone.

AFCON 2025 may be remembered not just for what Nigeria achieved; but for the thin line between dominance and dysfunction, and how temperament, not talent, can decide titles at the highest level.