Nigeria’s lineup against Portugal, instead, will feature other names who hope to contribute for the next World Cup Qualifying cycle: Maduka Okoye; Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Tochukwu Nnadi, Christian Akpan; Moses Simon, Akor Adams. Follow Portugal vs Nigeria live with us for updates and minute-by-minute coverage!

On the bench, the following players will hope to impress coach Eric Chelle: Francis Uzoho, Arthur Okonkwo; Abdullahi Bewene, Zaidu Sanusi, Emmanuel Fernandez; Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika; Philip Otele, Terem Moffi, Paul Onuachu.

Osimhen, Lookman have yet to play at a World Cup on the senior level

Once again, Osimhen is missing the World Cup as Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 edition. At 27, the Galatasaray star has yet to play at the senior global tournament, having made an impression as a youngster in the 2015 U-17 World Cup played in Chile.

Lookman, only a year older than Osimhen, is also waiting for his first senior World Cup appearance. Perhaps the 2030 edition sees the duo redeem themselves and put the country back on the map as Nigeria‘s last World Cup appearance to date came in 2018, when they suffered a group stage exit.

Ronaldo starts ahead of sixth World Cup appearance

Ronaldo, on the other hand, is preparing to play in his sixth World Cup as he chases an unprecedented record. If he scores in the 2026 edition, CR7 will become the first player in tournament history to score in six different World Cups.

The fact that he’s already making a sixth appearance is also setting a record, one he’s sharing with Lionel Messi and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. But the Portuguese needs just one goal to secure an exclusive record of his own.

After a 1-1 draw, Nigeria fell in a penalty shootout to DR Congo in the African playoff final. With that, DR Congo moved on to the intercontinental playoff, where it defeated Jamaica to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. As the Leopards reached soccer’s biggest tournament for the first time since 1974 (back when the country was known as Zaire), the Super Eagles waved goodbye to their World Cup aspirations.

For the second straight World Cup, Nigeria won’t be competing against the best national teams in the world. As a matter of fact, Osimhen’s drought will continue, as he has yet to make his World Cup debut.

Osimhen has never played at a World Cup

Although he made his debut with Nigeria’s national team in May 2017, Osimhen didn’t make the roster for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. At the time, he was 19 years old and coming off a goalless season with Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg.

In 2022, Osimhen had already established himself as one of the best players in Serie A, scoring goals with ease for Napoli. However, Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, and there went his dream.

More of the same happened this time around, as the Super Eagles will be watching the 2026 World Cup from home. Osimhen will be 31 years old by the 2030 World Cup and he may be facing his last chance to represent his country in the biggest stage.

Osimhen’s breakout in 2015 U-17 World Cup

Back in 2015, Osimhen led Nigeria’s U-17 national team to its fifth world championship in the country’s history. Osimhen scored 10 goals and recorded two assists throughout the tournament in Chile. Needless to say, he led the World Cup in scoring and was awarded the Golden Boot for his unstoppable scoring form.

Nigeria defeated Mali in the gold-medal game, with Osimhen scoring the game-winning goal. Only 16 years old at the time, he put the entire world on notice: the Super Eagles had a force to be reckoned with at striker.

Osimhen’s bad luck with Nigeria

Fast forward more than a decade, and Osimhen has proven to be one of the best forwards in the world during his prime, but he has fallen well short of expectations, especially those set by his countrymen.

Who would’ve guessed that, after Osimhen made his senior-team debut in 2017, Nigeria—which had qualified for five of the previous six World Cups—would go on to make only one of the next three, and that Osimhen wouldn’t be part of the team the one time it did qualify?

Victor Osimhen is confirmed to start once again after scoring in the previous round. As Nigeria’s best player and the leader of the attack, he remains determined to reach the World Cup and fulfill one of the biggest dreams of his career.

DR Congo stunned Cameroon with a late winner in their semifinal, and given that they have won three of the six previous meetings against Nigeria since 1966, they may feel confident about producing another upset on the big stage.

The winner of Sunday’s final will advance to the intercontinental playoff in March, where teams from different regions will battle for two remaining spots in the 2026 World Cup group stage.

Nigeria confirmed lineup vs DR Congo

Head coach Finidi George is confirmed to make to changes to the same starting XI from the semifinal because fatigue forces adjustments after the match went to extra time. Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman were both substituted before the end of regulation, so they should be fully rested for this decisive encounter.

Nigeria’s confirmed starting lineup features a 4-5-1 setup: Stanley Nwabali (GK); Benjamin Fredrick, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi; Samuel Chukwueze, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Ademola Lookman; Victor Osimhen as the lone striker.

DR Congo confirmed lineup vs Nigeria

DR Congo remain without injured star forward Yoane Wissa, who recently joined Newcastle United from Brentford. Aside from his absence, head coach Sebastien Desabre is expected to have his full squad available for selection.

Real Betis striker Cedric Bakambu should lead the attack, while Premier League followers will recognize two key defensive figures: West Ham fullback Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Burnley center-back Axel Tuanzebe.

DR Congo’s confirmed starting lineup: Lionel M’Pasi; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba, Arthur Masuaku; Charles Ngal Mukau, Samuel Moutoussamy, Noah Sadiki, Jonathan Bolingi Elia, Arnaud Mbuku; with Cedric Bakambu leading the attack.

After extensive deliberation and considering various options, Paris Saint-Germain has identified a prime candidate to fill Mbappe’s shoes. They have set their sights on Napoli’s prolific Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, PSG have Osimhen’s green light to move and are already working in progress on contract details. While negotiation details are still under wraps, Osimhen, who is under contract until 2026 and holds a market value of €100 million, will likely command a significant investment from the Parisian club.

Victor Osimhen, a key player for Napoli

Since his move from Lille to Napoli, Osimhen has been a standout performer, scoring 76 goals and providing 18 assists in 133 appearances. His remarkable contribution was pivotal in leading Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years during the 2022/23 season, where he also emerged as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.

Napoli aims to finalize Osimhen’s sale within the next week, as new manager Antonio Conte is eager to work with his primary center-forward choice as soon as possible. The Italian club has earmarked Romelu Lukaku as Osimhen’s successor and has already reached an agreement in principle with both the Belgian striker and Chelsea for a transfer worth around €30 million.

Earlier this week, Jugeli told a media outlet in Georgia that Osimhen will likely play in Saudi Arabia “next summer,” despite the contract extension the striker signed with Napoli in December through 2026.

“Kvicha would not accept a similar transfer, not even for a billion,” Jugeli said, claiming his client wouldn’t play in the Middle East regardless of the money he’s offered. “For example, he would prefer to play for Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or maybe Manchester City. Kvaratskhelia has different objectives and preferences.”

Osimhen was not happy with those comments, which is why he didn’t hold back on an Instagram story. “Dear Mamuka Jugeli, you are a piece of filth and a disgrace. I’m embarrassed at your sense of reasoning. Dumb f*ck! KEEP MY NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!,“ he wrote.

Osimhen’s agent reacts to Jugeli’s comments

Shortly after Osimhen’s reaction on social media, his agent Roberto Calenda released a statement in regard to the comments made by Kvaratskhelia’s agent about the striker, calling Jugeli’s words “bad, superficial, and unnaceptable.”

“These words create problems for my player Victor Osimhen with Napoli fans without any reason or real of the reality,” the statement read, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

“Everyone must look into their own home and have respect for the work of others. It is not correct to talk about the future of other players. This creates misunderstandings and problems as well as unfortunate predictions. We have just signed a contract renewal and Victor’s only wish, in addition to the Africa Cup of Nations, is to help Napoli. Everything else is rubbish”.

Osimhen is currently with the Nigeria national team ahead of the AFCON debut against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday. The 25-year-old boasts eight goals in 18 games for Napoli this season, but the club is struggling in the Italian league.

Napoli’s title defense not going well

As we’ve said before, the departure of the title-winning coach took a toll on Napoli’s form. Following a poor start to the season, Rudi Garcia was removed from the coaching duties in November. Walter Mazzarri has been in charge since then but the Gli Azzurri still have plenty of work to do.

With four losses in the last six games and three matches without victory, Napoli are currently ninth in the Serie A standings with 28 points, 20 shy of leaders Inter Milan.

Despite the saga that was a controversial post on social media, Victor Osimhen is looking ahead to more goals and more moments with Napoli, after helping the club win the Serie A title last season. Their third league title in club history.

Now speaking with Sky Sports, Victor Osimhen opened up in regard to his future at Napoli and the near $150 million offer a Saudi club sent Napoli’s way which he turned down.

Victor Osimhen on Saudi Pro League offer

Victor Osimhen stated, “I have to be honest, I never thought of it at first… When the Saudi Arabia offer came, it was tempting, a bit huge to refuse. I had about three meetings with the club and society. I spoke to the manager, and he shared his plans, which I keyed into, and then I made up my mind to stick with the team.”

Osimhen has been with Napoli since 2020 and has 65 goals in 111 appearances for the club. Osimhen has interest from teams in Spain and the Premier League, but he has a contract with the club until June of 2025.

Future at Napoli

“It didn’t happen overnight. We already spoke about my future at the end of last season, but you never know what the future holds, and we’ll see,” Osimhen stated.

With one more season on his contract after this year, Osimhen will be one of the hottest transfer targets come the summer, unless he resigns with Napoli.

Victor Osimhen is widely regarded as one of the top strikers in the world today. The Nigerian has enjoyed significant success with Napoli, but off-the-field problems have recently stressed the relationship between both parties.

On social media, particularly on TikTok, Napoli’s official account posted two videos that mocked Osimhen. The striker strongly disapproved of these posts and even threatened to take legal action against his own team.

Victor Osimhen releases heartfelt statement towards Napoli and their fans

Controversy has arisen around Napoli recently. The team’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, expressed his dissatisfaction with the club’s social media after they published two videos that mocked him. While it may not have been the intention to harm him, the Nigerian forward felt hurt by the content.

“On social media, and TikTok particularly, expressive language is used in a light-hearted and playful manner,” the club said through an official statement. “In this case involving Victor there was no intention of mockery or derision.”

Despite Osimhen’s initial threat of legal action against the team, it appears that their relationship is resilient enough to overcome these issues. The striker has now released a statement, demonstrating his commitment to Napoli despite the recent situation.

“The accusations against People of Naples are untrue,” Osimhen said. “I have a lot of friends that are Napolitans and have become part of my family and everyday life. I appreciate Nigerians and everyone for leading their voices to support and reach out to me

“I’m forever grateful. Let’s support unity, respect and understanding. FORZA NAPOLI SEMPRE.”

Osimhen came off the bench in Napoli’s 4-0 victory over Lecce yesterday. The Nigerian scored the second goal of the game at the 51st minute.

How much did Napoli pay for Victor Osimhen?

In 2020, Napoli signed Victor Osimhen, paying $70 million for the talented forward.

There’s a lot of turmoil around Osimneh as, last Sunday, the star player confronted coach Rudi Garcia for substituting him with just a few minutes remaining and the score tied following his penalty miss.

Now, after Napoli produced outrage worldwide for their attacks on Victor Osimhen through social media, there’s a new official statement by the club regarding the situation.

Napoli finally answer Victor Osimhen after TikTok scandal

Napoli clarified on Thursday that they had no intention to offend Victor Osimhen with the video posted on TikTok and remembered that he’s a valuable player for the club shutting down the rumors which also pointed at a possible transfer.

“Napoli Football Club, in order to avoid any possible misinterpretation on the matter, wants to clarify that it has never intended to offend or mock Victor Osimhen, who is a valuable asset for the club. As evidence of this, during the summer training camp, the Club firmly rejected every offer received for the player’s transfer abroad.”

In the official statement, Napoli tried to justify the behavior of their social media team after posting the video mocking Victor Osimhen. However, they didn’t mention any actions to punish them for the incident.

“It represents a common experience that on social media, especially on TikTok, expressive language has always been created with lightness and creativity, without any intention of mockery or ridicule, as in the case involving Osimhen. However, if Victor had perceived any offense towards him, it was completely unrelated to any intention of the club.”

Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda issued a statement and made it aware that Osimhen was considering legal action, “What happened today [Tuesday] on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable… A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted. A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news. We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor.”

All of this comes amid, what was then frustrating, contract extension talks between Napoli and Victor Osimhen, the striker’s contract ends in 2025 and he has had offers from Saudi Arabia and is being monitored by Chelsea. To add more tension to the situation a video surfaced of Victor Osimhen arriving at Napoli training and not shaking hands with his teammates who were sitting on the steps of the entrance of the training ground.

Victor Osimhen erases Napoli content from Instagram

Victor Osimhen’s anger was so much that the Nigerian had deleted all but three recent posts of him wearing the Napoli jersey, with many pundits seeing it as a sign that the striker wants out of the Italian club.

Italian journalist Marika Fruscio took to Instagram to vent her frustrations with the striker by posting, “You are a champion, but humility is needed. What is the point of deleting the photos of the team that has venerated and always supported you.

“What does it mean to rage like this?? Even legal action for an ironic video? An intelligent man would have laughed about it. BE A PROFESSIONAL. HEAD LOW AND WORK. However, it’s our fault that we make these players almost deities…JUST THE JERSEY, JUST THE JERSEY.”

Fruscio also pointed out that the video posted by Napoli was just for “fun” and saw no issue with the player taking offense.

In addition, after his two-goal performance against the Turin-based side, Osimhen extended hisstreak to 12 goals in 11games in all competitions. Meanwhile, with just 11 games remaining, the Partenopeihaveopened up a commanding 19-point lead at the top of the league and seemcertain to win the league for the first time since 1990.

Under Luciano Spalletti as his coach, the Nigeria international has made tremendous progress. Napoli expecta slew of bids for the 24-year-old at the conclusion of the season following his stellar performance, and the club has reportedly preparedby setting an astronomicalprice tag on the prolific ace.

Victor Osimhen drops possible Barcelona transfer hint on Instagram

The Italian powerhousehaveno obligation to sell one of their greatest assets,alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, since the player is under contract until 2025. In addition, the clubpresident Aurelio De Laurentiis hasreportedly said that he would not negotiate with any team that does not meet the asking price of €170 million,as reported by the Italian dailyIl Mattino.

Several teams have shown interest in signing him before the summer transfer market opens, and Manchester United stands out as one of the teams most likely to make him their next star striker.While Erik ten Hag presently prefers Harry Kane,Manchester Evening Newshave recently claimedthat the Red Devils haveidentified Osimhen as a target and are intrigued by the possibility of bringing him to Old Trafford.

Moreover, Newcastle reportedly offered €100 million for Osimhen a year and a half ago, but Napoli turned down the offer. Despite earlier stating that playing in the Premier League is his lifelong desire, the talented strikerhas been spotted ‘flirting’ with Barcelona on social media,After the Blaugrana’striumph over Real Madrid in La Liga’s El Clasico, Osimhen took to Instagram to comment“bro”accompanied with a fire emoji on Franck Kessie‘s Instagram photo.

Napoli are the current leaders of Serie A with a good point difference over their immediate rivals, Inter, no less than 15 points. A lot of this has to do with the fact that they have some very talented players, especially the current goalscorer in the competition, Osimhen.

The Nigerian is only 23 years old but shows the level and maturity of an older player. He has been key to this great moment for Napoli, and without a doubt the eyes of the main clubs in Europe are settling on the young African talent.

Osimhen’s salary

Osimhen is under contract with Napoli until June 30, 2025. Annually, the Nigerian player earns £4,836,000, which means £403,000 per month, £93,000, £13,286 per day and £554 per hour.