The Super Eagles enter their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers without Victor Osimhen, a void that former Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju insists the squad must overcome—not with excuses, but with performance. Osimhen, the Galatasaray striker and former Real Madrid forward, will miss Nigeria’s first two matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after failing to recover in time from a muscle injury. His absence leaves head coach Eric Chelle without one of his most potent attacking weapons, a reality Adepoju acknowledges but dismisses as an acceptable setback.
‘Unfortunately, Osimhen will not be available because everybody knows his quality and what he brings to the team,’ Adepoju stated. Yet his message to the Super Eagles is clear: their failure to qualify should not be attributed to Osimhen’s injury. ‘But Nigeria has other quality players who can do the job,’ he emphasized. The former midfielder, who played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, is urging the current generation to rise to the occasion. The stakes are high—this campaign is their second chance to secure qualification for the 2027 tournament, following a World Cup campaign that left many questioning the team’s depth.
Adepoju’s words carry weight, especially given the Super Eagles’ recent struggles in qualifying campaigns. The absence of Osimhen, who has been Nigeria’s most consistent goalscorer in recent years, forces the squad to rely on alternatives like Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, or emerging talents like Victor Osimhen’s former teammate at Galatasaray, Ahmed Hassan. Chelle’s challenge now is to deploy a system that maximizes their collective strengths—whether through pressing intensity, tactical flexibility, or individual brilliance. The opening match against Madagascar will serve as a litmus test: can the Eagles adapt without their star, or will they repeat the mistakes of past campaigns where injuries derailed momentum?
The psychological dimension is equally critical. Adepoju reminded the players of the World Cup disappointment, a moment that still lingers in collective memory. ‘I am sure the players still remember what happened with the World Cup,’ he noted, ‘but they now have another opportunity to make Nigerians proud.’ The pressure is palpable, but so is the opportunity. If the Super Eagles can navigate this early hurdle without Osimhen, it would signal a maturation of the squad—one that can compete at the highest level regardless of personnel. The next two matches will determine whether Nigeria’s depth is real, or if this is merely another qualifying campaign where injuries become an alibi.
For now, the focus remains on the immediate task: qualifying for AFCON 2027. Osimhen’s absence is a setback, but Adepoju’s insistence that ‘his absence should not be an excuse’ underscores a broader truth about Nigeria’s footballing future. The Super Eagles must prove they are more than the sum of their stars—something Adepoju, who knows the highs and lows of Nigerian football, believes they are capable of achieving.
