Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has disclosed that Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen played through the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco while managing a hamstring injury. Despite the physical setback, the Galatasaray forward delivered an outstanding performance at the tournament, scoring four goals and providing two assists in six appearances. His contributions earned him a well-deserved place in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Team of the Tournament. Osimhen featured in all six of Nigeria’s matches at AFCON 2025 and completed the full 90 minutes in two games, both against North African sides – Tunisia and Algeria. Speaking on French media platform RMC Sport’s After Foot programme, Chelle explained that the striker’s condition required careful management throughout the competition. He also attributed Nigeria’s underwhelming performance in the semifinal defeat to Morocco to fatigue caused by a demanding travel schedule. “After the match against Algeria, which we played in Marrakesh, we went back to Fez, and from Fez we went to Rabat, and we played again in 48 hours,” Chelle said. “We didn’t have a cryotherapy chamber with us to recover. It’s true that the recovery was very difficult. At this level, it’s really the small details.” Chelle added that the short turnaround between matches left many of his players exhausted. “After two training sessions, a little recovery after the match, and a training session before the next match, they were tired,” he noted. The coach further revealed the extent of Osimhen’s injury, explaining that the forward had a minor tear in his hamstring. “Victor is complicated because people need to know he played in the Africa Cup of Nations injured. He had a small tear in his hamstring, so it was necessary to manage it,” Chelle said. Nigeria’s attacking trio of Osimhen, Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman struggled to reproduce their earlier form in the semifinal clash with hosts Morocco, a situation Chelle attributed to fatigue and physical strain. Osimhen captained the Super Eagles in matches against Uganda and Morocco but was rested for the third-place playoff against Egypt, although he was named in the matchday squad. Despite Nigeria falling short of the AFCON title, Osimhen’s resilience and performances were widely praised, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s leading forwards.
Osimhen Played AFCON 2025 With Hamstring Injury – Chelle
