Victor Osimhen’s future at the Africa Cup of Nations is in serious doubt following a heated confrontation with teammate Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 demolition of Mozambique.
The striker’s frustration boiled over, leaving the Super Eagles camp in turmoil.
The incident occurred after Osimhen had already contributed to Nigeria’s dominant display, scoring early in the match courtesy of Lookman’s precise assist.
While the opening goal highlighted the duo’s chemistry, tensions soon overshadowed their teamwork.
Sources report that Osimhen grew visibly irritated when several promising attacks bypassed him.
His frustration peaked when Lookman chose to dribble in a favourable position rather than pass.
The Galatasaray forward confronted his teammate aggressively near the corner flag, brushing aside attempts by captain Wilfred Ndidi to calm the situation.
In a rare twist, Mozambique defender Reinildo Mandava had to step in to separate Osimhen and Lookman.
Moments later, the striker signalled for a substitution, leaving the field despite Nigeria cruising at 3–0. Moses Simon replaced him, leaving fans and teammates stunned.
Reports from inside the team camp indicate that Osimhen bypassed post-match media duties, left the dressing room early, and sat alone on the team bus.
He allegedly dropped his accreditation and declared he was “done” with the national team, insisting on returning to Turkey immediately.
Nigerian Football Federation officials reportedly scrambled to reach him, with senior figures trying to calm the situation.
Some sources say they considered allowing him space to cool off before further discussions.
The timing of the outburst is delicate, coming as Lookman has emerged as Nigeria’s standout AFCON performer with seven direct goal contributions.
Meanwhile, Osimhen, just three goals shy of Rashidi Yekini’s national scoring record, appears increasingly frustrated on the pitch.
Nigeria’s commanding victory has been temporarily overshadowed by the possibility that one of its star forwards might withdraw from the tournament.
The Super Eagles now face the challenge of maintaining squad cohesion ahead of a potential quarter-final clash with DR Congo.