AFCON 2025
Legendary English striker and pundit Gary Lineker has issued a public apology to Victor Osimhen, retracting previous statements he made about the Nigerian forward’s character and commitment.
Lineker, 64, offered the apology after Osimhen’s match-winning penalty against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, an achievement that saw the striker dominate the English champions’ defence.
The controversy stemmed from earlier speculation by Lineker that top European clubs were hesitant to sign Osimhen due to alleged attitude issues. The former England star had claimed: “I do hear on the grapevine that … sometimes he goes missing for a few days. So … there’s apparently some kind of slight question mark as to his character in that sense.”
🗣️ @GaryLineker: "I need to apologise to @VictorOsimhen9
Gary 🤝 Victor Osimhen pic.twitter.com/qe0LSSPVvl
— The Rest Is Football (@RestIsFootball) October 3, 2025
However, the Nigerian’s outstanding performance in Istanbul prompted Lineker’s complete reversal:
“I need to apologise to Victor Osimhen … I intimated that he goes missing sometimes. And I believe that is actually completely not the case,” Lineker stated. “So Victor, if you’re listening, I’m sorry about that. You shouldn’t spout rumours on these things, so my bad on that.”
Lineker went on to praise Osimhen’s technical and physical qualities, noting how he stood out against Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. Despite briefly exiting the Liverpool game injured, Osimhen’s availability has been confirmed for Galatasaray’s crucial upcoming Istanbul Derby.
