Injury Knocks out Osimhen from South Africa, Benin Republic Fixtures

*Finidi Invites EnuguRangers’ Igboke as Replacement for Napoli star 

Femi Solaja

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, has been ruled out of the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic due to an injury.

The Nigerian side will take on Bafana Bafana of South Africa and Benin Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers early next month.

Super Eagles Head Coach, Finidi George, has invited 23 players to camp ahead of the qualifiers.

However, reigning CAF Player of the Year, Osimhen, will not be able to play any part in the two fixtures and in his place, Finidi  has invited Enugu Rangers player, Kenneth Igboke, as his replacement.

The news of this latest development was broken on Super Eagles X (formerly Twitter) Page late yesterday and it stated thus; “African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, is injured and out for four weeks. Coach Finidi George has called up Enugu Rangers’ left back Kenneth Igboke for the World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic,” it stated.

With high-profile strikers in the mix, Osimhen has been first-choice for the Super Eagles in recent years, and he would have been expected to lead the line ahead of others.

 Bayer Leverkusen star, Victor Boniface, is now expected to lead the charge in the two matches.

Osimhen was earlier expected to miss the two games two weeks ago because he was struggling with a slight knock at Napoli. 

The reigning African Player of the Year however allayed fears after he played for Napoli  in the final game of the season against Lecce with the injury not properly healed.

Nigeria will play South Africa on the 7th of June at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo before travelling to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire to play Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny three days later.