AFCON: We just want to win – Nigeria's Moses Simon reacts to Lookman-Osimhen brouhaha

Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has moved to emphasise the team's unity and singular focus on victory following a well-publicised on-field exchange between star players Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.

The incident, which occurred during Nigeria's 4-0 round of 16 win over Mozambique, sparked external speculation about internal discord ahead of their crucial quarter-final clash.

In the aftermath, Lookman quickly downplayed the issue, referring to Osimhen as his "brother".

Building on that sentiment, Simon addressed the matter directly in a pre-match press conference, framing it within the context of a highly competitive team environment.

"It’s a team play. "We are all a team, and of course we are united, as you can see," Simon stated. He acknowledged the stature of the involved players, noting, "We play for them [Lookman and Osimhen]; they are the two African Best Players [winners in back-to-back years]."

The Nantes forward stressed that individual accolades are secondary to the collective goal, especially at a major tournament. "We are working altogether as a team. So there is no time for who is the best and who is not the best," he explained. "The most important thing is that the team is the best. We just want to win."

Simon's comments aim to redirect the narrative towards Nigeria's on-field ambitions as they prepare to face Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Saturday, January 10. The team will be hoping their united front translates into a winning performance on the pitch.