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AFCON 2025 : ‘Nacional hero’ Osinachi backs Super Eagles for glory
Christian Ebere Osinachi wrote himself into immortality in November when he delivered to Club Nacional de Football their much coveted 50th coveted Uruguayan League title. The 27-year-old scored the back-breaking solitary winner for his side deep into the added time of the play-off tie against rival club, Atlético Peñarol in a thrilling final before a delirious capacity crowd that saw his 114th minute match-winning strike at the Gran Parque Central Stadium in Montevideo. But the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets in a recent conversation with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN believes the Super Eagles can break all odds at the on-going Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco to give the country another major silverware…
FIFA U-17 World Cup winner, Christian Ebere Osinachi, has thrown his weight behind the Super Eagles’ quest to win their long-awaited fourth Africa Cup of Nations title at the on-going continental showpiece in Morocco.
Nigeria have been crowned champions thrice in 1980, 1994 and 2013 and the Super Eagles are seeking to end a 12-year title drought after finishing as runners-up in the last edition in Cote d’Ivoire. But Osinachi who stars for Uruguayan side, Club Nacional de Football, said Super Eagles will need to overcome their recent setback in the CAF Play-Offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup where they lost the only available ticket to the Inter-Continental Play-Offs to the Congo Democratic Republic last November.
“Yeah , it’s true that the Nigeria recently lost to the Congo DR in the FIFA World Cup qualification play-off but I think the Super Eagles have another opportunity to make Nigerians happy and proud again by winning the AFCON,” Osinachi who has excelled across clubs in South America, told Nation’s Sports. “I think Nigeria can make it because we have the players.
“Nigeria have the players to compete and make it to the finals; and also to win it because last time, the Super Eagles got to the final and unfortunately lost to Cote d’Ivoire .
“But now, I think Nigeria can do it, Yes, I think Nigeria can do it,” he affirmed.
Tomorrow, the Super Eagles will play their decisive second match at the on-going Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON, Morocco 2025, against Tunisia’s Eagles of Carthage in Fez with some of Osinachi’s former teammates at the U-17 level including the striking duo of Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze expected to be in the thick of action. Osinachi said not being part of the team is not an indication that players like him who feature for clubs in South America are not good enough to wear the national team colours at the senior level.
“ I’m really very happy that I have now some of my ex-teammates from the U-17 level and I’m talking about Osimhen and Chukwueze ,” he continued. “ But I’m not disappointed that I have not been able to play for the Super Eagles.
“I last represented Nigeria at the U-17 and since then, they have not called me for the Super Eagles. I also have the hunger to play for the Super Eagles.
“Often, my teammates always ask ‘why is it that they don’t call you for the Super Eagles?’ They feel that I need to be in the Super Eagles because they usually watch Nigeria matches even as recent as when we lost to Congo DR in the Play-offs.
“ So, I’m equally waiting for the opportunity and if I get the chance today, I will be ready to give my best.”
Having featured across clubs in Argentina, Brazil and now in Uruguay, Osinachi would be the first to admit that playing in the South American leagues is not a child’s play, adding it’s about time that national team’s handlers bore that searchlight on that side of the globe too.
“ Playing in South America is not an easy task,” Osinachi who has been listed for as many as 10 South American clubs across Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, revealed. “ South American league is not a league that you’ll be given so much space to just do anything you want ; it’s hard and tough. No room for excessive dribbles rather you have to very think fast on the ball.
“Here it’s more intensive and I think they )Super Eagles’ technical crew), need to watch some players some of those players in South America because they are as good as players in Europe.
“ I think the national team’s handlers don’t look at players in the south American leagues but not knowing that players from the South American leagues play more intensive football than most other people playing in Europe.”
“ In fact, I can tell you for free that players in South America play more intensive football than players in Europe because our football here is hard. It’s not an easy football.
“So, they need to watch more of South American football too. I know it is very far is very far from Nigeria and maybe that’s why they don’t watch or see players from here in South America whereas Europe is close to Nigeria.
“I want to believe they don’t watch the South American league s as well as the Libertadores, the Champions League of South America. They don’t watch all those competitions.
“ My teammates at Nacional know how good and strong; that I’m a fighter on the ball; I have the speed and I think I can also make the difference with the Super Eagles.
“ They shouldn’t look down on players in the South American leagues because players in that region has a lot on intensity than even players in Europe,” added Osinachi as he speaks on other sundry issues. Excerpts…
On winning the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup
Yes, you are right, it’s 10 years this year since won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and it’s always a great memory to recall. I was so happy to be part of the team and happy to have won the World Cup at the first opportunity at that level. The memory of representing my country was great and playing alongside some of my teammates especially Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze , Kelechi Nwakali, Kingsley Michael , Orji Okoronkwo, Ndidi Anumudu and the rest, it was just simply great . Of course, it was equally great playing under Coach Emmanuel Amuneke as well as the other members of the coaching crew and backroom staff. Although so many things happened along the way but i really thank God how everything went ….because we won the World Cup. I was very, very happy.
On not going to Europe after World Cup conquest in Chile
After the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, I actually had a club to sign for in Belgium but what happened was that my ex-manager had an issue with the team’s director, something like that. So they had an issue and I was really angry because that was a good opportunity for me to start. Because some of my teammates were also going to Europe and that was a good opportunity for me to start in Europe too. But because of the issue that they had, I lost that opportunity. My ex-manager told me that I should go to Nigeria and stay and that he was going to get a new club for me. But ‘I said no’ because I needed to play football and I don’t want to stay back in Nigeria and start waiting for some contracts. That was how I moved to go to South America, being Rosario Central in Argentina. I started my career there, playing in the youth team. So from there I went to Brazil and here I’m today in Uruguay.
On being called different names in Argentina
When i arrived in Argentina, some called me Lukaku while some also called me Mbappé because I have the force and i have the speed ; so it is because of these two abilities that my teammates call me so many names. I have no problem with that if they are calling me the names because of my playing abilities and not because they wanted to make jokes out of me. So, it feels good because they are calling me those names because I’m strong, I’m fast with the ball.
On playing across clubs in South America
I have had outstanding experiences playing across clubs in South America. In Brazil, they play more with tactics and techniques while in both Argentina and Uruguay, they play with both techniques and force (power). But I must confess that I’m really enjoying playing in Nacional just as I enjoyed playing at Clube Plaza Colonia in Argentina. Frankly, I have enjoyed playing in virtually all the clubs in these three countries because I’m that guy that always make my fellow teammates happy. I’m always happy with my teammates. I always cheer them up and all that, yeah.
On the ‘One-derful’ cup-winning goal for Nacional
I scored the goal that gave the Nacional the league title and I felt so happy. I feel great because the league title meant a lot for us, not only me but my teammates. Because the name on the League Cup is dedicated to one of our former teammates who lost his life while playing for Nacional. Interestingly , he had also previously played for our opponents in that final (Atlético Peñarol) but we wanted to win the cup for him. So , we did it for him. But personally, I feel great scoring the winning goal that gave Nacional the victory. I feel so happy, excited because that was a wonderful goal which makes me feel great representing the club. Nacional is a good club and they are one of the big clubs in South America. The fans they love me and I also love them too because they always cheer me up and all that. So it was great for me. It was something great, something that I will not forget. And even the club also will not forget.
On close affinity with his mother.
Yes, it’s true that I’m very close to my mum because I’m the last born and I was also with my mum while I was growing up with my siblings. Even while others will go out, I was always staying with my mum and that was how I was able to know how to do many house chores. She’s my prayer warrior ; she had done a lot to support my football career though initially she didn’t want me to play football. She wanted me to study and never wanted me to play football because of the experience of my dad . My dad actually played football but never made it professionally. So, my mum was scared that I might also waste my time going on that route with football. But along the line, I asked one of my uncles to speak with my mum that after football I’ll still study and that I’ll make her proud. That was how my mum accepted and started supporting me…by giving me money to buy boots and she was always there checking on me especially when I travel outside the state for tournaments . She played a very great role in my career and what I’ve become today.
On marriage
Of course, I will get married but not yet because I have not seen the ‘special one’. But some day, I will get married and I think very soon, I will be there (laughter).
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