Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has firmly rejected the notion that Nigeria's national football team is overly dependent on star striker Victor Osimhen. Despite Osimhen's impressive record and status as one of the top goal scorers for Nigeria, the 31-year-old defender emphasized that the team’s success is not solely hinged on his contributions.

Osimhen, who is second only to Rashidi Yekini (62) on Nigeria’s all-time goal-scoring list, has played in just one of the Super Eagles’ 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches so far – a crucial 2-0 win over Rwanda. Before that match, the Super Eagles had struggled to secure victories in their group C campaign, but Osimhen’s two goals in Kigali provided the spark for their first qualification win.

Ahead of the Super Eagles’ upcoming match against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, Ekong was adamant that the team is far from a one-man show. In the pre-match press conference, he made it clear that while Osimhen is an integral part of the squad, the team thrives on the collective effort of all its players, both on and off the pitch. He commended the contributions of other key figures in the team who have been instrumental in the Super Eagles' journey to qualification.

Ekong also revealed that the squad had a candid crisis meeting to evaluate Nigeria’s prospects in the World Cup qualifiers. During this meeting, the players reaffirmed their commitment and determination to represent their country at the 2026 World Cup. Ekong stressed that the team remains focused on their goal of qualifying and are ready to fight hard to ensure Nigeria's participation in the next major tournament.