‘Osimhen-Lookman Clash Didn’t Cost Super Eagles AFCON 2025 Title’: Udeze Counters Oliseh

Former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze has dismissed claims that the on-field clash between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman was responsible for Nigeria’s failure to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

His comments came in response to Sunday Oliseh, who earlier argued that Osimhen’s public outburst against Lookman during Nigeria’s 4-0 win over Mozambique in the round of 16 disrupted team chemistry and drained confidence from the Atalanta forward, whom he described as Nigeria’s most dangerous player at the tournament.

Oliseh, speaking on his Global Football Insights channel, maintained that Lookman’s form dipped after the incident, noting he neither scored nor assisted again throughout the competition.

‘When you publicly diminish your teammates, you break their spirit,’ the former Eagles captain said, insisting Osimhen’s indiscipline cost Nigeria the title.

But Udeze, on his No Holds Barred show on Brila FM, countered that the confrontation had no lasting effect.

‘Osimhen is far younger to Oliseh, he could have used his channel to advise him. The outburst happened against Mozambique, but in the quarter-final against Algeria they still linked up, played and made assists. Goals came. The chemistry was still there,’ he said.

He added that the players quickly moved past the incident: ‘After that game, they thrashed whatever it was between them. To say what happened was the reason we didn’t win the AFCON, I don’t think so. Osimhen is your younger brother, advise him.’

Nigeria eventually settled for bronze, falling short of their ambition to secure a fourth continental crown.