You need to compete with Osimhen — Obafemi Martins tells Super Eagles backup strikers

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Martins stressed that the national team cannot continue to rely solely on the red-hot Galatasaray star.

He pointed out that Nigeria struggled whenever Osimhen was unavailable during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, failing to win any of the five matches he missed through injury.

Martins recalled the healthy competition he experienced during his own time with the Super Eagles, when he battled for places with Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Osaze Odemwingie and Julius Aghahowa.

"It is essential to have someone who can compete with all the players, not just Osimhen,” Martins said.

“During my time, we had Yakubu. If Yakubu was in the starting lineup, I would be on the bench, waiting for my opportunity.

"I understood that if he was unavailable and I scored, I would earn a starting position in the next match. We operated like that. There was no animosity between us because of it.”

The former Inter Milan and Newcastle forward also defended Osimhen’s intensity on the pitch, insisting it should not be mistaken for a bad attitude.

"You cannot silence him. I believe that is what drives him, as his demeanor does not indicate a poor attitude. That is simply how he plays, and many people fail to grasp that.

"Having him in the national team is a blessing for us as Nigerians. We should strive to keep him content and enable him to score more goals.”

Osimhen currently sits on 35 international goals, just two short of equalling Rashidi Yekini’s all-time Super Eagles scoring record.

The 27-year-old has started the season in excellent form with 5 goals in his opening 3 games, and despite the emergence of the likes of Tolu Arokodare, Akor Adams and several others, he remains the nation's first-choice forward.