Criticise footballers constructively, we’re humans too – Osimhen tells Nigerians

Victor Osimhen, the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, has urged Nigerians to be fair in their criticism of Super Eagles players.

He spoke out following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, where the team was hosted. This comes after Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Cote d’Ivoire in the AFCON final, with William Troost-Ekong scoring first for Nigeria, but Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller securing the win for the Ivorians in the second half.

The defeat led to online criticism, particularly targeting Alex Iwobi, who was accused of poor performance. This backlash intensified when Iwobi deleted almost all his Instagram posts. Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa intervened, calling for an end to cyberbullying and defending Iwobi’s efforts on the field.

Adding his voice to support Iwobi, Osimhen emphasized that footballers are humans who make mistakes.

He expressed concern about the impact of online criticism on players’ mental health and stressed the need for constructive feedback. Osimhen noted the team’s solidarity with Iwobi and reassured him of their support.

In recognition of the team’s efforts, President Tinubu honored them with awards, including the Member of the Order of Niger (MON), and granted each member a plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a flat.