By Gideon Ayeni
Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman has downplayed the brief on-field altercation between himself and Victor Osimhen during Nigeria’s round-of-16 clash against Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The incident occurred in the second half of Monday night’s encounter, when Osimhen was seen visibly upset and shouting at Lookman as play continued. Moments later, head coach Éric Chelle decided to withdraw Osimhen in the 63rd minute, a move that drew attention both inside the stadium and on social media.
Osimhen, who had scored twice in the match, further raised eyebrows after the final whistle when he walked straight down the tunnel without joining his teammates to celebrate the emphatic victory.
The moment went viral on social media, with many questioning whether there was tension within the Super Eagles camp. However, Lookman moved quickly to calm the situation.
Speaking after the match during his post-game interview where he was also named Man of the Match, Lookman dismissed any suggestion of bad blood between the two forwards.
“It’s just football. It’s always football,” he said. “He (Victor Osimhen) is my brother.”
Nigeria went on to secure a dominant win over Mozambique and booked a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament. Despite the brief disagreement on the pitch, the Super Eagles’ attacking partnership between Osimhen and Lookman has been one of the highlights of their AFCON campaign so far.
The team will now shift focus to their next fixture as they continue their push for Africa Cup of Nations title.
