The federation confirms the absence
Early September was the last time Victor Osimhen played. Since then, it’s been a muscle tear and a calendar ticking by without him.
The Super Eagles made it official on Sunday. “Victor Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s South Africa 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau as he continues to recover from a muscle tear. We wish Victor a speedy recovery,” the national team said on its X account.
The Galatasaray striker had been expected on Saturday against Trabzonspor. He did not play a single minute. He watched from the bench as his side were thumped 4-0.
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Two games back to back
Nigeria host Madagascar on 25 September at 6pm, before travelling to Guinea-Bissau on 29 September, same time. Both matches count towards the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, with the finals being staged jointly by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Eric Chelle’s side then face Russia in a friendly on 6 October at midday. Three matches, then, and a centre-forward missing for at least two of them.
A gap that’s hard to fill
Forty-five caps. Osimhen isn’t just another squad player for the Super Eagles, he’s been their main attacking threat for years. Losing him at the start of a qualifying campaign forces a coach to improvise sooner than planned.
The big question is how long he’s out. The federation says recovery is ongoing but has given no return date. Galatasaray haven’t said anything either. What is certain is this: between early September and 29 September, it will be almost a month without competitive football for a player both club and country rely on for goals. October should tell us whether the damage has been repaired.
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