Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has moved to clarify the circumstances surrounding his absence from the Super Eagles’ forthcoming international friendly matches against Poland and Portugal, insisting that recent comments by head coach Eric Chelle were misunderstood.

The Galatasaray forward will not be part of Nigeria’s squad for the two high-profile friendlies this month, a development that sparked speculation after Chelle suggested that the striker was focused on resolving issues relating to a possible transfer.

While explaining the absence of key players from his squad, Chelle remarked that Osimhen could be on the verge of changing clubs, prompting widespread reports linking the Nigerian star to a move away from Turkish champions Galatasaray.

“We miss two players because Victor Osimhen may be about to change clubs,” Chelle had said.

The comments fuelled fresh speculation about the future of the 27-year-old striker, who has been linked with several top European clubs following another prolific season in Turkey.

However, Osimhen has now sought to calm the situation, revealing that he personally contacted the Super Eagles coach to discuss the remarks and clear up any misunderstanding.

In a statement posted on his Instagram Story, the Nigerian international stressed that Chelle’s comments had been taken out of context and did not reflect any intention to create controversy surrounding either his future or Galatasaray.

“I just got off the phone with Coach Eric Chelle regarding the comments about me in his recent interview,” Osimhen wrote.

“Unfortunately, his words have been taken out of context and blown out of proportion. He has great respect for Galatasaray, follows most of our games, and never intended to create any controversy.

“I appreciate the conversation, the opportunity to always represent my country, and I look forward to continuing to work with him. He is a great coach whom I respect a lot, and I kindly ask everyone to disregard the speculation surrounding this matter.”

Osimhen’s statement effectively confirms that his absence from the friendlies against Poland and Portugal should not be interpreted as a sign of tension with the national team setup. Rather, it appears to be a mutually understood arrangement as the striker manages personal and professional commitments during the transfer window.

The former Napoli star remains a central figure in Chelle’s plans as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

For now, the Super Eagles will take on Poland and Portugal without their leading marksman. Still, Osimhen has reaffirmed both his commitment to Nigeria and his strong working relationship with the national team coach.

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Nigeria’s leading football investor and proprietor of Remo Stars Football Club and Beyond Limits Football Club, Hon. Kunle Soname, has redeemed his promise to reward the Flamingos after the team’s six-goal demolition of Guinea in their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.

Soname had pledged a bonus of N750,000 for every goal scored by the Nigerian girls during the return leg of the second-round qualifier at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

Following the Flamingos’ emphatic 6-0 victory, the businessman fulfilled his commitment by rewarding the team with a total sum of N4.5 million.

The gesture came after the Flamingos produced another outstanding display to complete an 11-0 aggregate victory over Guinea and advance to the final qualification round for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The young Nigerians entertained the home crowd with goals from Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, who scored twice, captain Harmony Chidi, who also bagged a brace, Queen Joseph, and substitute Precious Oscar.

Soname’s reward was widely applauded by football stakeholders, who viewed it as a significant morale booster for the team ahead of the decisive final-round clash against the Benin Republic.

Over the years, the Remo Stars owner has built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s foremost sports investors through his sustained support for football development, youth programmes and grassroots initiatives.

His latest gesture further highlights the growing role of private sector involvement in Nigerian football and the importance of incentivising young athletes as they strive for international success.

The Flamingos will now shift their focus to the final qualification hurdle against Benin Republic, knowing that victory will secure another appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

With confidence high and financial encouragement coming from prominent supporters such as Soname, the young Nigerian side will be hoping to continue their impressive march towards Morocco 2026.

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By Kunle Solaja.

Femi Azeez etched his name into Nigerian football history on Tuesday after becoming the 62nd player to score on debut for Nigeria.

The forward achieved the feat during Nigeria’s Unity Cup clash against the Zimbabwe national football team at The Valley, home ground of Charlton Athletic F.C.

Azeez opened the scoring in the sixth minute to hand the Super Eagles an early lead before adding a second goal in the 63rd minute to cap a dream debut and secure his place in the long list of Nigerian debut scorers dating back to 1949.

By scoring twice on his debut, Azeez also became the first Nigerian player in 55 years to net a brace in his maiden appearance for the national team. The last player to achieve the feat was Mathias Obianika, who scored twice in Nigeria’s 4-0 defeat of the then Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso, in November 1971.

Sports Village Square recalls that only five Nigerian players have scored two goals on debut for the Super Eagles. The list began with Friday Okoh, who scored twice in Nigeria’s 5-0 victory over the then Gold Coast on October 20, 1951. Patrick Noquapor followed with a brace in Nigeria’s 3-3 draw against Ghana on October 27, 1957, while Abudu Buraimoh achieved the feat in a 3-2 victory over Ghana on October 25, 1958, before Obianika’s memorable double in 1971.

The Unity Cup once again lived up to its reputation as a platform for emerging talents in the Super Eagles, with no fewer than four players making their senior national team debuts. Among them were Rangers International F.C. duo Chibueze Oputa and Kenneth Igboke.

By scoring on his first appearance, Azeez joined an elite list that began with Balogun Tesilimi, who scored on debut against Sierra Leone in Freetown on October 8, 1949.

Other prominent Nigerian players who scored on debut include Finidi George, Julius Aghahowa, Obafemi Martins, Joseph Aribo and Bryan Idowu.

Azeez also became the first Nigerian player to score on debut since Jerome Akor Adams achieved the feat against the Lesotho national football team in October 2025.

The achievement further highlights the youngster’s attacking promise and adds another memorable chapter to Nigeria’s rich football history.

OTHER NIGERIA’S SCORING DEBUTANTS SINCE 1949

  62       Femi Azeez                      Nigeria 1-0 Zimbabwe              May 26, 2025                 London 

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