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5 Former Nigeria international, Etim Esin, has expressed concern over the continued failure of strikers, aside from Victor Osimhen, to deliver for the Super Eagles during international assignments and describes the situation as a worrisome one that requires urgent attention, Completesports.com reports.
Etim Esin
The current Super Eagles squad boasts an array of strikers excelling at their respective clubs. However, many struggle to replicate their club form when called up to the Nigerian national team.
One such player is Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, who faced criticism for his underwhelming performances during matchdays 5 and 6 of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda. Boniface, with 11 caps for the Super Eagles, is yet to open his goal account.
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Similarly, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has managed just two goals in 10 appearances, while Southampton’s Paul Onuachu has scored three times in 24 outings. Terem Moffi has netted four goals in 18 games, and Umar Sadiq has only one goal in 12 appearances.
In stark contrast, Victor Osimhen, the reigning African Player of the Year, has scored 23 goals in 39 matches for the national team.
Osimhen missed the Super Eagles’ first four matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, during which the team scored four goals — courtesy of Semi Ajayi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Raphael Onyedika. Notably, during the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, Osimhen was the only striker to score, with the other goals coming from Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, and midfielder Dele-Bashiru.
In an exclusive interview with Completesports.com, Esin lamented the lack of consistency from the strikers and described their struggles as a troubling development.
“In any tournament, you must depend on your strikers to deliver. If we keep relying solely on Osimhen, it will get us nowhere,” the former midfielder said.
“Osimhen can only play his part. What happens if he gets injured? Does that mean we won’t score? It’s very worrying. A striker playing the number nine role must score consistently for his country—that’s the standard worldwide. You can’t play four games for your country without scoring a goal; it doesn’t make sense.”
Esin added: “Boniface, for instance, has been given numerous opportunities, but he still can’t score for Nigeria. This is becoming a major concern. Does it mean Eguavoen cannot rely on any other striker? Or are we saying that if Osimhen doesn’t score, then Nigeria won’t score?
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“I played alongside great strikers like the late Rashidi Yekini, Samson Siasia, and Richard Owubokiri. They delivered for both club and country. Boniface is prolific in Germany, but when it comes to Nigeria, he keeps missing chances. We need to address this issue before AFCON 2025; otherwise, we will have a big problem.”
Esin, a former Lokeren and Lierse player in Belgium, also suggested that the absence of a creative midfielder could be hindering the strikers’ performances.
“Another issue is the lack of a creative midfielder — a proper number 10 who can orchestrate plays, provide assists, and unsettle opposing teams,” the 58-year-old explained.
“That magic touch of players like Jay-Jay Okocha, Henry Nwosu, or even myself is missing. We don’t have naturally gifted playmakers anymore. Everyone is just average. For instance, people keep talking about Iwobi, but he can’t do half of what Okocha did. That comparison doesn’t hold water.
“Nowadays, teams face the Super Eagles without fear because we lack a player who can bring the stadium to life,” Esin concluded.
By James Agberebi
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