Osimhen was substituted against his wishes in the World Cup qualifier

Nigeria's head coach, Eric Chelle, reportedly overruled star striker Victor Osimhen's pleas to remain on the pitch during the Super Eagles' 2026 World Cup qualifier against DR Congo on Sunday.

The incident was brought to light by FlashScore editor Shina Oludare, who shared details from a conversation with a member of the team's technical staff.

According to Oludare, Osimhen, who had sustained a minor hamstring issue, was desperate to continue playing.

However, the coaching staff prioritised his long-term fitness, especially with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) approaching.

The Galatasaray forward was ultimately substituted for Akor Adams while the score was level at 1-1.

In a post on X, Oludare recounted the conversation: "Had breakfast with a member of the Super Eagles technical crew this morning.

He added,” He told me Osimhen was begging to play in the second half despite the injury, but they turned him down to avoid aggravating it with AFCON around the corner."

Super Eagles lost 4-3 on penalties after playing a 1-1 draw in regular time.