Former Super Eagles coach Finidi George has responded to a viral video by Victor Osimhen, in which the striker denied accusations of faking an injury to avoid participating in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Osimhen took to Instagram Live on Saturday to clarify that the claims about him staging an injury to skip national team duties were false.
In his video, Osimhen addressed rumors that Finidi George allegedly said he wouldn’t beg him to play for the Super Eagles. Osimhen expressed his frustration, stating that he had lost respect for the former Enyimba coach.
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The controversy prompted Nigerian sports journalist Colin Udoh to seek clarification from both the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and Finidi George.
Senior NFF officials confirmed to Udoh that Finidi never accused Osimhen of feigning an injury. Udoh also reached out to Finidi, who refuted ever making such statements and expressed his disappointment with how Osimhen handled the situation.
Udoh explained on Instagram, “I contacted several senior and reliable individuals who attended the meeting between Finidi, the NFF, and the minister.
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They categorically stated that Finidi did not make the alleged remarks. He did not say he wouldn’t beg Osimhen or question his commitment.
In fact, Finidi confirmed that he called Osimhen from Germany to excuse him from the team.”
He added, “When the issue of player commitment was raised, Finidi said he wouldn’t beg anyone to play for the Super Eagles but did not mention any player by name.
Finidi also confirmed to me that he never made those statements and would address any issues directly with the players.”
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Finidi, upon learning of Osimhen’s video, reached out to the striker to clarify the situation, expressing disappointment that Osimhen went public with his grievances instead of seeking a private resolution.
The situation highlights the ongoing communication challenges within the Super Eagles camp and the importance of addressing misunderstandings directly and respectfully.