Former Super Eagles players Idah Peterside and Victor Anichebe have criticised Victor Osimhen’s recent social media outburst against Finidi George regarding an alleged injury ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Peterside, a former goalkeeper, termed Osimhen’s social media outburst ‘irresponsible’ and ‘disrespectful’ to Nigerian football.
On Saturday, an unconfirmed report surfaced on social media alleging that Finidi had questioned Osimhen’s commitment to the national team. Without verifying the report by contacting Finidi, Osimhen hastily took to Instagram to vent his frustration.
In his impulsive rant, he disrespected Finidi, a former international who served Nigeria admirably during his playing days and cursed fans who were critical of him.
For the record, Finidi, the Port Harcourt-born former Nigeria international, boasts an impressive list of accolades, including an AFCON title, a UEFA Champions League title, three Dutch League titles, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Copa del Rey trophy.
The incident dominated conversations around Nigerian football, overshadowing ongoing issues within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) concerning the Super Eagles coaching position.
Following Osimhen’s outburst, Peterside expressed disappointment with the Napoli star, describing his actions as irresponsible. He called on the former Lille man to tender an open apology for his remarks.
“He (Osimhen) needs to come out and apologise for the things he said to Finidi,” Peterside said on Dare Kuti ‘Gattuso @dkuti82 X account.
“Finidi George is a legend. You don’t just wag your mouth and say unpalatable things. If you have issues with the man, pick up your phone and call him. That’s what responsible people do.
“Osimhen has just shown a bit of irresponsibility, and that’s unexpected. I think the NFF should call Osimhen and ask him to apologize. He has to apologize for saying those things.”
Anichebe, who represented both the Olympic Eagles and the Super Eagles of Nigeria, reacted to a video by Colin Udoh, criticising Osimhen for making the situation public.
“This is something we lack in Nigeria. We love negativity and drama, the former Nigerian striker said.
“VO was wrong to come out publicly. I’m sure he understands this now, but in the heat of the moment, it’s difficult. This could have been done in private, even though I fully understand he does not want anyone to tarnish his image and commitment that he has worked tirelessly to maintain.”
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