Mikel weighs in on Osimhen’s outburst against Finidi

Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has shared his thoughts on Victor Osimhen’s recent online outburst against former Nigeria coach Finidi George.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel expressed understanding of Osimhen’s frustration, suggesting it was a natural reaction to the situation within the Nigerian national team.

Read Also: NFF, Finidi, and Osimhen’s outburst: What next for Nigeria’s football?

The controversy began with reports claiming that Finidi had blamed Nigeria’s loss to Benin Republic in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Osimhen’s absence and stated he would not beg any player to join the squad. In response to these claims, Osimhen went on social media, criticising Finidi and expressing his disappointment and loss of respect for the former Ajax winger.

Read Also: Osimhen fires back at Finidi’s comments on national team commitment

“You can talk nonsense. I have lost the respect I had for that man [Finidi]. I swear to God I’ve lost it now because why? I called and told him to allow me to come to the camp to be with the boys. I have all these recorded, to come talk to the boys,” Osimhen stated.

Reflecting on the incident, Mikel acknowledged that while Osimhen’s response might not have been the most appropriate, he understood why the striker felt compelled to defend himself.

Mikel praised Osimhen’s humility but emphasised that respect is a two-way street.

“Every time I speak to him, he is very humble and respects people. As I said, respect is reciprocal. I respect you; you respect me. I think this situation with the Nigerian coach, where he blew out, he just felt it was not fair because the manager did not protect him. He said he had a conversation with the manager, everything was recorded, and the manager just threw him under the bus. He was really pissed off, so he came out to defend himself. Maybe the way he did it was not the best, but he had the right to speak out. I have nothing against Victor [Osimhen] for that, and knowing your worth isn’t arrogance,” Mikel added.

Though Osimhen has yet to publicly apologise for his outburst, he has continued to give Nigerian fans reason to celebrate, quickly finding the net in Nigeria’s recent victory over Benin Republic in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.