Revealed: Osimhen Begged to Continue Against DR Congo — But Super Eagles Coaches Refused
Fresh details have emerged about the tense halftime moment that changed Nigeria’s fate in their 2026 World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo on Sunday.
According to FlashScore editor Shina Oludare, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle refused Victor Osimhen’s pleas to continue playing — despite the striker insisting he could push through a slight hamstring issue.
Oludare, who revealed he had breakfast with a member of the Super Eagles technical crew on Monday morning, said Osimhen was “begging to play” in the second half with the score still at 1–1.
However, the coaching staff rejected his request, opting instead to replace him with Akor Adams in what would become a crucial turning point of the match.
Oludare wrote on X:
“He told me Osimhen was begging to play in the second half despite the injury, but they turned him down to avoid aggravating it with AFCON around the corner.”
He added a jab at critics questioning the decision:
“Yet some of you still come online to tweet pure jargon.”
Osimhen’s departure proved costly — Nigeria lost control of the game, failed to regain rhythm, and ultimately crashed out on penalties, missing the World Cup for a second straight time.
Opinion: A Painful Decision — But Perhaps the Right One
The revelation that Osimhen desperately wanted to stay on the pitch will only deepen the heartbreak Nigerian fans felt on Sunday. He is a warrior, a leader, and a player who embodies the fighting spirit Nigerians admire.
But as emotional as the moment was, the coaching staff may have made the only sensible choice.
Hamstring injuries are dangerous — one wrong sprint can end a player’s season. With AFCON 2025 fast approaching, risking Nigeria’s most important player for 45 more minutes could have turned a minor strain into a long-term disaster.
Still, the big question remains:
Why is Nigeria so helpless without Osimhen?
A truly elite national team should not collapse simply because one man is unavailable. The inability to adapt, improvise, or find alternative match-winners is a deeper issue that must be addressed before AFCON.
Nigeria must build a team where stars are supported, not overburdened… where tactical structure matters more than individual brilliance… and where the Super Eagles can soar even when their leading talon is injured.
Sunday’s loss hurts — deeply — but it should spark a national football rethink. Because it’s clear: without Osimhen, we lose more than a striker… we lose our identity.
