Victor Osimhen has said the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations offers Nigeria a vital opportunity to heal old wounds, restore belief among supporters and reset the national team’s narrative after a painful failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles arrive at AFCON 2025 carrying the emotional weight of a turbulent year. The three-time African champions missed out on a World Cup ticket through both the regular qualifying campaign and the African playoffs, culminating in a heartbreaking defeat to DR Congo in the final playoff match in Morocco in November.
Nigeria have now regrouped in Morocco for the continent’s biggest football event and will begin their campaign on Tuesday against Tanzania at the Fez Stadium, having been drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia and Uganda.
Confidence among supporters has dipped following repeated disappointments on the biggest stages, with football data platform Opta ranking hosts Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Senegal ahead of Nigeria among the tournament favourites. For Osimhen, however, AFCON represents a clean slate.
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Victor Osimhen addresses fans’ frustration
Speaking after a training session in Fez on Sunday, the Super Eagles striker acknowledged the hurt felt by fans and insisted the players are determined to make amends.
“We really understand their frustration. We gave everything to qualify for the World Cup, but penalties are sometimes about luck – sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t,” Osimhen told CaliSports.
“Now we have the opportunity to win back the hearts of our fans. I want to say a big thank you to the Super Eagles supporters who never gave up on us and stood by us through the good and the bad. This AFCON is a chance to rewrite our wrongs, and we are ready to give our all.”
Despite being one of the most prolific forwards in Super Eagles history, with 31 goals in 46 appearances, Osimhen has found AFCON goals hard to come by, scoring just once in eight matches across the 2019 and 2024 tournaments.
“We’re going to war” – Osimhen warns rivals
For the second consecutive AFCON, the Galatasaray striker is expected to lead Nigeria’s attack. While the Super Eagles are favourites to beat Tanzania in their opener, Osimhen has warned against complacency.
“We’re going to war, and Tuesday is the first one. We will give everything, and we’re not underrating anyone,” Osimhen told SportyTV.
“There are many favourites in this competition, and we’re going to give our all to realise our dream of winning the AFCON.”
Nigeria are chasing a fourth AFCON title, and their first since 2013, but Osimhen admits the road will not be straightforward.
“I believe so much in this squad, I believe in the coaching staff and everyone associated with the team. It’s not going to be easy because we still have a long way to go, but I am positive about this squad,” he said.
Osimhen also confirmed he has fully recovered from the hamstring injury suffered during the World Cup playoff final against DR Congo, thanking his club for their support.
“I am okay,” the 26-year-old said. “I just came back from a hamstring injury. A big shoutout to my club, Galatasaray, they have been very supportive and ensured I had some games before reporting for national duty.”
The Super Eagles will be aiming to build on their 2023 AFCON run, where they reached the final before losing 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast.