AFCON: Osimhen-Lookman on-field spat ‘normal’ — Akor Adams

2026-02-27 - 11:27

By Enitan Abdultawab Super Eagles forward Akor Adams has dismissed suggestions of dressing-room unrest during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), describing the much-talked-about exchange between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman as a normal part of competitive football. In a recent interview with SportyTV, Adams said the incident during Nigeria’s clash with Mozambique was not unusual and was quickly resolved within the team. “We all want the same thing. What happened against Mozambique was normal. It could even have happened in training,” he said. “The most important thing was that we were able to squash it immediately, and you could see the result against Algeria. The spat brought out our motivation.” The striker also defended Osimhen’s recent club decision to remain at Galatasaray amid transfer speculation linking him elsewhere. According to Adams, the opinions of others should not overshadow a player’s personal happiness. “These guys are top athletes and professionals; they don’t pay attention to speculations, comments or posts,” Adams said. “The most important thing is that Victor is happy — and a happy Victor is a victorious Victor. He wears the shoes and knows where it fits and where it hurts. The decision he made makes him and his family happy. I think people who are talking would do worse.” Adams further threw his support behind Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle, acknowledging that the national team is undergoing a transition phase but remains rich in talent. “I hope he succeeds. The Super Eagles are in a transition period. We have an amazing crop of players and only him can manage it for now,” he said. Reflecting on Nigeria’s AFCON journey, Adams insisted the team gave its all despite difficult circumstances, including a tight travel schedule before their elimination on penalties. “We wanted to have a fair game and we tried. We did everything we should have done, but we lost via penalties, which I think was beyond our control. Some small decisions were not in our favour,” he said. “We travelled twice within five days before that game, so fatigue set in, but we still tried to play our football.” On a personal note, Adams revealed that playing for Manchester United remains a childhood dream. “It would be Manchester United,” he said when asked about his dream club. “I like the team a lot and, besides Sevilla, it is one of the best clubs in the world. As a kid who grew up in Nigeria, United was all I knew.”