Victor Osimhen’s recent outburst on social media has sparked a wave of reactions from fans, many of whom are criticizing the Napoli striker for his comments against Finidi George.
Finidi, reportedly having resigned as head coach of the Super Eagles (though the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has yet to confirm), was quoted saying that he wouldn’t beg Osimhen to play for the national team. This statement came after Osimhen withdrew from the last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to injury.
Osimhen had been ruled out by a four-week injury and was replaced by Enugu Rangers defender Kenneth Igboke. However, following the Super Eagles’ lackluster performances against South Africa and Benin Republic, the narrative around Osimhen’s absence shifted. An online source (not The PUNCH) reported that Finidi used Osimhen’s absence to highlight players’ poor attitudes towards the national team during a meeting with the Sports Minister, John Enoh, and NFF chiefs in Abuja on Wednesday.
Osimhen, evidently angered by these comments, expressed his frustration in a live Instagram video on Saturday. He stated that he had lost respect for Finidi and shared details about his withdrawal from the World Cup qualifiers, asserting that both Finidi and his doctor were well-informed about his condition.
Opinions among fans were divided. Jason, using the handle @zieecity, dismissed Osimhen’s actions, saying, “Let him get out, who’s he? As a professional footballer, you don’t release a live video swearing and saying nonsense. No player is bigger than the team.”
Kinq Kudos also criticized Osimhen’s approach, saying, “I don’t like Finidi’s style of coaching, but Osimhen shouldn’t have handled the issue this way. He could have addressed it in a podcast or interview if he really wanted to discuss it.”
Conversely, Ore Eva defended Osimhen, stating, “In all the years Osimhen has been on the team, he’s never spoken against any coach. Finidi must have really been terrible.”
Iyke, under the username @drackfel, accused Osimhen of disrespect, commenting, “Osimhen feels he’s richer and bigger than Finidi, so he believes Finidi has no right to be in charge of him. This wouldn’t happen if the coach was a white man. He wouldn’t make such comments publicly if one of his managers at Napoli did the same thing. Shame.”
Uchenna, with the username @RichDakvng, also criticized Osimhen’s behavior, saying, “Anyone that doesn’t see disrespect in this speech is a big hypocrite! When Sancho called out his manager, they said Sancho was disrespectful.”
Uche Mark emphasized that players like Finidi contributed to Osimhen’s lack of success, stating, “This is why Finidi didn’t succeed. Disrespect – just look at how he’s talking to someone old enough to be his dad. They’re calling you Osimhen, and your head is swelling. Have you played even half of what Finidi played? You’re my Edo brother, but I don’t support you on this.”
The controversy surrounding Osimhen’s outburst highlights the tensions within the Super Eagles and the challenges of managing both team performance and individual player relationships.
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