Nigeria great Sunday Oliseh has laid part of the blame for the Super Eagles’ failure to lift the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on a breakdown in team unity, singling out Victor Osimhen’s public confrontation with teammate Ademola Lookman as a turning point in the tournament.

Nigeria’s bid for a fourth continental title ended in Morocco after a dramatic semi-final defeat on penalties to the hosts, before the Super Eagles recovered to claim third place by beating Egypt in the play-off.

On the pitch, Nigeria’s campaign had promised much. They went unbeaten through the group stage and negotiated the round of 16 and quarter-finals with confidence, appearing to gather momentum at the right time.

But speaking after the tournament, former captain and head coach Oliseh suggested that events off the field played a decisive role.

Osimhen confronted Lookman following Nigeria’s emphatic 4-0 group-stage victory over Mozambique, an incident that Oliseh believes disrupted the harmony within the squad.

“Let’s look at the toxicity that might have caused us the AFCON title,” Oliseh said. “Talent is not a licence to destroy team chemistry.”

The former Juventus midfielder argued that Lookman’s form dipped noticeably after the confrontation, despite having been one of Nigeria’s standout performers earlier in the competition.

“Since that public outburst, Lookman became a shadow of himself,” Oliseh added, suggesting that confidence and cohesion were affected at a crucial stage of the tournament.

Oliseh also pointed to Osimhen’s previous criticisms of coaches, warning that even star players must be held to the same standards of discipline as the rest of the squad.

“Scoring goals doesn’t give you a licence to disrespect,” he said, cautioning that without internal order and mutual respect, Nigeria risk undermining their own potential.

While the Super Eagles ultimately finished on the podium, Oliseh’s comments have reopened debate about leadership, accountability and the fine balance between individual brilliance and collective unity in a team long regarded as one of Africa’s most talented.

For Nigeria, the lessons from Morocco may prove as significant as the matches themselves, as attention now turns to future tournaments and the challenge of turning promise into silverware