Osimhen has been warned - Nigerian lawmaker applauds Super Eagles striker after showing team spirit

Victor Osimhen appeared to strike a noticeably calmer tone on Saturday as the Super Eagles faced Algeria, just days after the Nigerian striker came under heavy criticism for an explosive outburst during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The quarterfinal clash at the Grand de Marreckh Stadium offered a sharp contrast to Osimhen’s conduct with the Super Eagles.

During the first half, the 27-year-old forward was seen applauding teammates, offering encouragement from the pitch, and maintaining composure even as Galatasaray fell behind.

His behavior did not go unnoticed as Nigerian lawmaker and sports entrepreneur Oloye Akin Alabi humorously commented on X (formerly Twitter).

He said, “Looks like Osimhen has been warned not to ‘rake’ anymore. The way he has been applauding everything his teammates do has been so lool 😀.”

In Nigerian Pidgin, “rake” loosely means “shouting” or “verbally abusing someone,” a direct reference to Osimhen’s heated confrontation at AFCON.

Osimhen’s change in demeanor follows a controversial episode during Nigeria’s AFCON round-of-16 victory over Mozambique, where he clashed with teammate Ademola Lookman after failing to receive passes despite scoring twice in the match.

Footage showed Osimhen berating Lookman and defender Bruno Onyemaechi, prompting intervention from captain Wilfred Ndidi and even a Mozambican player.

The situation escalated when Osimhen requested to be substituted in the 68th minute, drawing boos from sections of the crowd as he left the pitch.