The Allegations that Victor Osimhen, a forward for Galatasaray, purposefully skipped Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying match against South Africa to play in the Champions League for his team worried him.
The 26-year-old sustained an ankle ligament injury during Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda earlier this month and subsequently returned to Turkey for medical treatment.
His absence from the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with South Africa led to speculation that it was connected to Galatasaray’s European endeavors.
During a discussion on the Futbol Arena YouTube channel, Turkish journalist Naci Küçük indicated that these rumors affected the forward’s mental state. He noted that Osimhen was particularly troubled by accusations that he prioritized club football over his national team.
“The remarks made in Africa, ‘He abandoned the national team for the Champions League!’, diminished Osimhen’s morale,” Küçük stated.
He further mentioned that the Nigerian became preoccupied with this notion and feared that playing through his injury would reinforce the belief that he had neglected his national responsibilities.
Küçük elaborated, “He became demoralized. In a way, he thought, ‘If I play, I will validate their claims. There will be an impression that I fled.’ He aimed to avoid that perception. That is the reality.”
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The journalist also pointed out that Osimhen would have faced greater risks had he attempted to play against Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe so soon after his injury.
“On one hand, it was beneficial. He was set to play against Frankfurt without any training. He would have played with an injection. God forbid, it could have resulted in a more severe injury. Despite the loss, it was fortunate that Osimhen did not participate,” Küçük remarked.
The controversy surrounding Osimhen’s absence escalated after Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan was inaccurately quoted as accusing the striker of feigning injury. The statements, which surfaced on the Turkish platform Habersarikirmizi, alleged that Osimhen had been advised to exaggerate his injury.
The false quotes rapidly circulated on social media, exacerbating tensions between supporters from Nigeria and Ghana. Nevertheless, Gyan has categorically rejected the narrative.
In response to a post on X, he stated, “This news is fake, my brother.”
The account responsible for disseminating the inaccurate information has since issued an apology and removed the post.
