By The Merit Newspaper Editorial Board
Football, at its highest level, is never just about ninety minutes of play; it is about history, temperament, roles, and the unrelenting pressure to win. Nigeria’s emphatic 4–0 victory over Mozambique in the ongoing AFCON 2025 matches on January 5 should have been remembered solely as a statement performance by the Super Eagles. Instead, a brief on-field disagreement between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman has dominated public discourse, attracting criticism, speculation, and sweeping judgments about character and intent.
At The Merit Newspaper, we take a different view.
The incident in the 63rd minute — Osimhen’s visible frustration after Lookman lost possession while he chased a hat-trick — has been framed by many as evidence of jealousy, arrogance, or a lack of maturity. Some critics went as far as comparing Osimhen to Diego Costa, warning that his fiery temperament could ultimately harm both his career and the team. While such opinions are not entirely baseless in modern football analysis, they risk oversimplifying a far more complex issue.
First, context matters. Victor Osimhen is not just another player in the Super Eagles; he is the team’s central striker, a role that comes with a singular responsibility: scoring goals. His game is built on timing, positioning, and service. When a striker repeatedly makes runs and does not receive the ball, frustration is not only natural — it is tactical. Osimhen’s reaction, therefore, should be understood within the framework of his role on the pitch, not merely as an emotional outburst.
Ademola Lookman, to his credit, had an excellent game and provided two assists to Osimhen. His post-match reaction — calm, mature, and conciliatory — reinforces the reality that what occurred was a footballing moment, not a personal feud. “He is my brother; that is just football,” Lookman said, effectively dousing the flames of controversy. That response alone should caution against exaggerated narratives.
However, this debate cannot be fully appreciated without revisiting Nigeria’s football history. The Super Eagles have been here before. At the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, Rashidi Yekini emerged as Nigeria’s most lethal striker, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer and leading the team to continental glory. Yet, at the USA 1994 World Cup, a subtle but damaging shift occurred. Yekini, the team’s most reliable goal scorer, was starved of service. Teammates chose individual ambition over collective efficiency, and Nigeria paid the price with an early exit.
What made that episode particularly tragic was silence. Yekini did not speak up publicly or forcefully enough to address what was unfolding on the pitch. Nigerians saw the symptoms but not the diagnosis, and the opportunity to correct course was lost.
Osimhen’s case is different.
By expressing his frustration openly, Osimhen did not undermine the team; he highlighted a critical tactical truth: football is a game of roles. While every player can score, not every player is tasked primarily with finishing. Lookman’s brilliance lies in his creativity, movement, and ability to supply decisive passes from wide and advanced positions. Osimhen’s excellence lies in converting those moments into goals. When those roles blur excessively, efficiency suffers.
It is also important to separate passion from indiscipline. Osimhen’s intensity — his constant movement, animated reactions, and vocal presence — is part of what makes him one of the most feared strikers in world football today. Passion becomes a problem only when it consistently results in cards, bans, or dressing-room fractures. At present, there is no evidence that this incident crossed that line. Captain Wilfred Ndidi’s intervention and Osimhen’s subsequent substitution were signs of responsible leadership and game management, not crisis control.
Leadership, especially in African football, often comes in different forms. Some leaders are quiet; others lead with fire. What matters is whether that fire is directed toward winning, accountability, and collective success. In this instance, Osimhen’s reaction can reasonably be interpreted as patriotic commitment — a refusal to let individual choices weaken the team’s objective.
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This is not to say Osimhen is beyond criticism. Emotional intelligence is as important as tactical awareness, and learning when and how to communicate frustration is part of growth. But to label his actions as jealousy or hatred toward Lookman ignores both football logic and historical lessons.
Nigeria won 4–0. The team functioned. The players reconciled. The dressing room remained intact.
The real danger lies not in Osimhen speaking up, but in a culture where truth on the pitch is silenced for the sake of appearances. If the Super Eagles are to compete seriously for continental and global honours, clarity of roles, honest communication, and collective discipline must prevail over social media outrage.
Sometimes, loving the team means speaking when others stay quiet. History has already shown us the cost of silence.
