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Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has lashed out at Coach Finidi George over his comments towards the national team.
Recall that Finidi, who tendered his resignation to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following a proposed invitation of foreign expatriates to handle the Super Eagles, said he could not beg Osimhen to play for the national team after the player withdrew from their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to injury.
The striker was said to have been ruled out by a four-week injury and was replaced by Enugu Rangers defender, Kenneth Igboke.
But following the Super Eagles poor performance, some media outlets had reported that Finidi allegedly used Osimhen's withdrawal as a poser for the players' bad attitude towards the national team when he met with the Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, in Abuja.
Reacting, Osimhen in a live Instagram video, said, “I knew things like these would happen and that’s why I have the videos and screenshots of when I called Coach Finidi while I was with the doctor in Germany.
“I got injured in our (Napoli’s) last game against Lecce and I went to the MRI scan. And I called Finidi there for him to listen to the doctor too.
“I called him (Finidi) and asked him to allow me to come to the camp to be with the boys and I spoke to some of my teammates too but he said I had to be with my family.
“I’m not addressing anything, everybody knows I play my heart out whenever I’m playing for the club or national team. I’ll share the screenshot and videos of my conversation with Finidi for the sake of those believing what Finidi said.
“I’ve lost respect for that man because before I disrespect anybody, I always respect them.”
In Finidi’s first game in charge of the Super Eagles, Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, last Friday, and a 2-1 defeat by Benin Republic in Abidjan compounded the Super Eagles fate in Group C of the qualifying series, leaving them with just three points after four games.
