Victor Osimhen’s dramatic decision to drop his accreditation and walk out of the Super Eagles camp has overshadowed Nigeria’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Mozambique that sealed a place in the AFCON quarter-finals.
Confirmed reports from within the camp indicate that the Napoli striker stormed out after the match, dropped his accreditation, and declared he was “done” with the national team, insisting he was returning to Turkey. Senior Nigeria Football Federation officials reportedly moved quickly to reach him, with the federation’s president attempting to calm the situation, while some officials felt the striker should be given time to cool off.
The walkout followed a tense on-field confrontation between Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during the second half. Visibly frustrated after several attacks ended without the ball reaching him, Osimhen confronted Lookman as he prepared to take a corner, pointing angrily in his teammate’s face. Captain Wilfred Ndidi tried to intervene but was brushed aside, with Mozambique defender Reinildo stepping in to restrain the striker.
Osimhen then signalled to the bench to be substituted and was replaced by Moses Simon despite Nigeria cruising at 3–0. At full time, he headed straight down the tunnel, skipped the team huddle, and later sat alone on the team bus while his teammates attended media duties.
The episode was all the more surprising given the duo’s earlier understanding in the match, with Lookman providing two assists for Osimhen and both players celebrating together before the relationship visibly broke down.
The incident has revived concerns about Osimhen’s temperament, months after his public disagreement with former head coach Finidi George. However, this latest outburst is viewed by many around the team as a far more serious flashpoint.
As Nigeria prepare for the quarter-finals, their dominant display has been pushed into the background, with attention now firmly on whether the Super Eagles can contain an off-field crisis sparked by their star striker’s decision to walk away from camp.