Ademola Lookman played down a heated exchange with teammate Victor Osimhen during their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last-16 victory over Mozambique, insisting the focus should remain on the team’s dominant performance as they advanced to the quarter-finals.
The incident unfolded in the 62nd minute when Osimhen confronted Lookman over a misplaced pass, telling him on camera: “Listen to me, it is a team game.”
Captain Wilfred Ndidi intervened to defuse the situation, but Osimhen signaled to coach Eric Chelle for a substitution and disengaged from play before being replaced by Moses Simon six minutes later.
Nigeria cruised to a 4-0 win at the Fes Sports Complex on Monday, January 5, 2026, with Lookman earning man-of-the-match honors for his goal and two assists in the 2025 tournament hosted by Morocco.
Addressing the spat post-match, Lookman said: “I don’t think that is really important. The team won 4-0. He is a top striker but it is really not important.”
The 2024 Africa Player of the Year added that he had not yet spoken to Osimhen about the matter, emphasizing collective success over individual accolades despite his three goals so far.
The Super Eagles, chasing a fourth AFCON title, now await the winner of the DR Congo-,Algeria tie in the last eight, as internal harmony comes under scrutiny amid their flawless run.
