Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle, has spoken for the first time about the on-field spat between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The incident, which occurred during Nigeria’s Round of 16 clash against Mozambique, quickly became one of the tournament’s most discussed moments.
Chelle On Settling Rift
“On the pitch, there was a discussion with Lookman. Victor told him, ‘We need to stop playing in front of goal.’ Things got a little heated, a minor altercation, but that’s part of locker room life,” Chelle told After Foot RMC.
“At the end of the match, he went home upset; he needed time to calm down. And once he did, he became the Victor we know again.
“There was never any question of him not playing against Algeria (AFCON quarterfinal), never.
“What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room. I didn’t even need to intervene. We went back to the hotel, they talked it over, and that was it.”
On Two Great Strikers
He added, “In front of goal, those two guys are top-level.
“Even better, this tension would almost make sense when you’re talking about two strikers obsessed with scoring.
“In front of goal, those two guys are top-level. Victor is a machine. If he doesn’t do his specific striker drills, if he doesn’t score in training, it drives him crazy. He wants to win everything. For him, it’s not a funfair. Lookman is the same, but calmer.
“Frankly, I’ve seen strikers, but to strike the ball like they do, right foot, left foot… that’s a very, very high level.”
