Former Super Eagles attacking midfielder, Etim Esin, has disclosed that the Super Eagles must lessen their heavy dependence on Victor Osimhen if they’re to have any hope of advancing to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Betandsured.com reports.
Nigeria are currently positioned fifth in their World Cup qualifying group and need to collect points consistently to have a chance of competing in the most significant football event on the continent.
Etim, who was a member of the Super Eagles squad that placed Nigeria on the global platform, called on other Nigerian forwards to rise to the occasion in Osimhen’s absence.
“Osimhen can only do his share. What happens if he gets injured? Does that imply we won’t score? It’s very troubling. A striker occupying the number nine role must perform regularly for his nation—that’s the rule globally. You can’t participate in four matches for your country without achieving a goal; it doesn’t add up.
Boniface, for example, has been given multiple chances, but he still can’t deliver for Nigeria. This is becoming a serious issue. Does it mean Eguavoen cannot trust any other forward? Or are we implying that if Osimhen doesn’t score, then Nigeria won’t manage any goals?
In any competition, you must count on your forwards to produce results. If we keep depending exclusively on Osimhen, it will lead us nowhere.
I played alongside remarkable strikers like the late Rashidi Yekini, Samson Siasia, and Richard Owubokiri. They succeeded for both clubs and their country. Boniface is outstanding in Germany, but when it comes to Nigeria, he continues to miss opportunities. We must resolve this problem before AFCON 2025; otherwise, we’ll face a significant challenge,” the 58-year-old stated in an interview with Complete Sports.
Nigeria has qualified for the AFCON 2025 tournament, but their last two games against the Republic of Benin and Rwanda were far from satisfactory.