Chelle reflects on the clash between Osimhen and Lookman at AFCON 2025

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·9. Februar 2026

Chelle reflects on the clash between Osimhen and Lookman at AFCON 2025

Nigerian head coach Eric Chelle has spoken about the minor altercation between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during the round of 16 clash against Mozambique (4-0).

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“On the pitch, there was a discussion with Lookman. Victor told him: ‘We have to stop playing in front of goal.’ “Things got a bit heated, a small clash, but that's just part of life in the dressing room,” Chelle explained on RMC Sports' After Africa podcast.

🗣 "Les deux ce sont des assassins devant le but!" 🇳🇬 Eric Chelle, sélectionneur du Nigeria, raconte de l'intérieur l'accrochage entre Osimhen et Lookman pendant la CAN.
– Montag, 9. Februar 2026

The coach emphasized that the situation was quickly resolved:

At the end of the match, he came back to the locker room angry and needed some time to cool off. Once he'd calmed down, he was back to being the Victor we all know. It was never in doubt that he'd play against Algeria.

Chelle concluded: “What happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. I didn't even have to intervene. They talked it out themselves and that was the end of it.”

🚨 𝗘́𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗦𝗨𝗥 𝗟’𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗧 𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗗𝗘 𝗟𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱. 🗣️🇳🇬 « Sur le terrain, il y a eu une discussion avec Lookman. Victor (Osimhen) lui a dit: "𝗜𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝘁 𝗾𝘂’𝗼𝗻
– Montag, 9. Februar 2026