12.11.2025 02:08
The absence of Victor Osimhen from the Nigeria National Team's World Cup qualifying camp has caused great surprise among the country's press and fans. The whereabouts of the Galatasaray star have become a topic of curiosity.
The Nigeria Football Federation shared the list of 21 players called up for the 2026 World Cup African Qualifiers on their social media accounts. However, the absence of Galatasaray's star forward Victor Osimhen from the list drew attention. Fans questioned why Osimhen was not in the camp, while Nigerian media ran headlines asking, "Where is Osimhen?"
DISAPPEARED AFTER THE HAT-TRICK
Osimhen, who scored a hat-trick in the match against Benin in October, leading Nigeria to a 4-0 victory, had been a key player in keeping his team's World Cup hopes alive. The absence of the star player, who was declared a hero in his country for this performance, was seen as an unexpected development.
CRITICAL ABSENCE BEFORE THE PLAY-OFF
Nigeria will face Gabon in the semi-finals of the mini-tournament for the World Cup ticket in the African continent qualifiers. If they advance, they will compete against Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the final. The winning teams from these two matches will participate in the inter-confederation play-off to fight for a World Cup spot.
GALATASARAY IS MONITORING THE SITUATION
It has been learned that the Galatasaray management and coaching staff have requested information from the Nigeria Football Federation regarding Osimhen's situation. Nigerian media suggested that the reason for the star striker's absence from the camp could be due to injury or special permission, but no official statement has been made.