Obafemi Martins has highlighted Victor Osimhen’s importance to Nigeria after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The former Nigeria striker believes Osimhen’s influence cannot simply be neutralised. His comments came after Nigeria struggled whenever the Galatasaray striker was unavailable during the qualifying campaign.
Nigeria struggled whenever the Galatasaray striker was unavailable through injury during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, failing to win any of the five matches he missed.
The Super Eagles drew with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa twice, and suffered a shock defeat to the Republic of Benin.
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Those results strengthened the argument that Nigeria’s attack becomes less effective without Osimhen.
Nigeria eventually secured a place in the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, but their hopes of reaching the tournament were dashed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, who defeated them on penalties.
Osimhen was not available to take a spot-kick in the shootout after being substituted at half-time following an injury, with Akor Adams taking his place.
Martins explains Osimhen’s importance
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel, Martins rejected the idea that opponents can simply shut Osimhen down.
“No, you can’t keep him quiet. I think that’s what keeps him going as well. The way he behaves doesn’t mean he has a bad attitude; that’s just how he plays at his best. The majority of people don’t understand that. Seeing him is a blessing—seeing the type of striker he is for the national team as a Nigerian. We should try to make him happy and let him score more goals.”
Martins’ comments underline the influence Osimhen has on the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s record during his absence already provides a strong indication of that influence. The team failed to win any of the five qualifying matches he missed through injury.
His importance was also evident in the playoff defeat to DR Congo.
Osimhen left the game at half-time after suffering an injury. As a result, he could not take a penalty when Nigeria’s World Cup hopes came down to the shootout.
Martins calls for stronger competition
While highlighting Osimhen’s importance, Martins also stressed the need for greater competition within the Super Eagles
Martins highlighted the strong competition he faced from Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Osaze Odemwingie and Julius Aghahowa during his time with the Super Eagles.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Martins said: “You need someone that is going to compete with all the players, not just Osimhen.
“My own time, we had Yakubu there. If Yakubu starts the game, I’ll be on the bench waiting.
“I know if he’s out and I score, I’m going to start the next game. We’re always like that. We don’t hate each other because of that.”
The former striker’s experience provides the context for his view of the current squad.
Nigeria needs players who can compete for places. It also needs alternatives when key players miss matches.
Osimhen can remain central to the attack. But the Super Eagles must develop enough quality around him.
Martins demands results from Super Eagles
The World Cup failure remains a major disappointment for Nigeria.
Martins believes the national team must now focus on producing results and competing for major honours.
“I mean, all I can say about the national team—if you don’t qualify for the World Cup, all the fans are watching me, you know—it means all your effort amounts to nothing. We want them there at the World Cup. The Nigerian fans want them there, and they want them to do very well. They want trophies as well. So, no matter what you do, it means nothing without results. They just need to put in more effort, try to win the next Africa Cup of Nations, and qualify for the World Cup.”
Nigeria’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup has exposed an important issue.
The Super Eagles need Osimhen’s goals and influence. They also need enough depth to remain competitive when he is unavailable.
For Martins, Osimhen’s influence is not something Nigeria should try to suppress.
Instead, the team must maximise his qualities while building stronger competition around him.
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