SUPER Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has gone on a social media rant attacking the team’s head coach Finidi George in one of the ugliest fallouts of the poor results in the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches in June.
There have also been reports today that Finidi has resigned from his position following the Nigeria Football Federation’s decision to hire a foreign ‘technical adviser’ who will supervise his work.
The Super Eagles drew at home with South Africa and lost to Benin Republic in Abijdan in Finidi’s first two competitive matches in charge, and there were reports today that he blamed the players’ attitude as part of the reasons for the damaging results.
Finidi was also reported to have alleged, while meeting with the sports minister John Enoh, that Osimhen feigned an injury in order to avoid the June fixtures.
The story obviously triggered Osimhen, even though it has not been confirmed that Finidi actually made those reported allegations.
The Napoli striker took to an Instagram live video today to debunk the allegations and in the process express his disdain for Finidi, who was a Super Eagles great with an Africa Cup of Nations title and UEFA Champions League trophy with Ajax.
“I know say something like dis go happen, I’m not dumb. Immediately I did the MRI, the doctor called me and we talked,” Osimhen, 25, said in a mix of English and pidgin.
“So I called Finidi immediately, he was on the phone and I told one of my guys make him self do video as the doctor and me dey speak to Finidi. I get the video.
“I no dey address anything, make anyone believe wetin dem wan believe about me. Everybody know say whenever I play, whether na for curbside or Nigeria, I dey play my heart out.
“I no care wetin anybody go talk. I do wetin I wan do and just let everything go. But I no go allow disrespect from anybody because I dey respect person before I disrespect the person.
“I no go allow that nonsense, I no go allow that rubbish come put stain on my name. I think I don keep quiet enough, a lot of people come dey bring stupid agenda. Osimhen this, Osimhen that, una no let my name rest for una mouth.”
Although he admitted that the Finidi quotes about him could be false, Osimhen still went on to slam the Super Eagles coach and anyone who believes the rumours about him (Osimhen).
He added in a mix of pidgin and Yoruba: “Una dey talk nonsense. I no care if dat thing wey Finidi talk na false or whatever. I go post that video of when I dey follow Finidi talk and the screenshot.
“Because all of una dey believe say because person dey play ball. Ogun kill anybody, e ni kure (you won’t die well). Any of una wey dey believe all those nonsense, e ni kure.
“Respect wey I get for that man, I don lose am now. I swear to God I don lose am now because why. I call am, I tell am dis thing. I tell am make him allow me make I come camp, make I come dey with the boys.
“All these things, I get am for video. I tell am say make him allow me come camp, make I come follow these boys dem talk, make I come follow dem dey.
“I spoke to some of my teammates also. I tell am, wetin him tell me? ‘Oh no, you have to be with your family’. I say ‘no problem’. Wetin I go do? I go live my life dey go.”
Meanwhile, there have been several claims today that Finidi has handed in his resignation, after just four matches in charge of the Super Eagles — two defeats (to Mali and Benin Republic), one draw (with South Africa) and one win (over Ghana).
The NFF announced earlier this week that they have resolved to employ an ‘expatriate technical adviser’ to take charge for the rest of the qualifiers, with the Super Eagles stuck in fifth place in their six-team group.
