Asamoah Gyan accuses Osimhen of faking injury during World Cup qualifier

Former Ghanaian international, Asamoah Gyan, has stirred controversy after accusing Nigeria striker, Victor Osimhen, of feigning injury to avoid representing the Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

Osimhen, who currently plays for Galatasaray in Turkey, missed Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Bafana Bafana at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The 26-year-old had earlier limped off during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 victory over Rwanda last weekend, prompting concerns about his fitness. Following that incident, he returned to his club for medical evaluation.

Galatasaray subsequently released an official statement confirming that Osimhen had sustained an ankle ligament injury, a development which ruled him out of Nigeria’s crucial clash in Bloemfontein.

However, Gyan, a former captain of the Black Stars, expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the injury. Speaking to Turkish outlet Habersarikirmizi, he suggested that Osimhen’s absence was orchestrated to prioritize his club commitments over national duty.

“I know these tricks,” Gyan said. “Someone told Osimhen, ‘Look, we spent a lot of money on you. The Champions League is coming up. We don’t want you playing in Africa, but go there, play a bit, then pretend to get injured and act like it’s serious. The next day, you’ll be back in Türkiye.’”

The remarks have sparked mixed reactions, with some football fans questioning Gyan’s comments, while others pointed to longstanding tensions between African players and European clubs over availability for international matches.

Neither Osimhen nor the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has publicly responded to the accusation.