Sunday Oliseh Defends AFCON 2025 Commentary, Questions Critics’ Football Understanding

Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has hit back at critics who questioned his loyalty to Nigeria following his television commentary during the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 Group C clash against Tanzania.

Oliseh, a two-time FIFA World Cup participant and AFCON winner, came under criticism from sections of Nigerian fans on social media after serving as a colour commentator for the match in Morocco. Some listeners accused the former midfielder of being overly critical and unsupportive of the national team.

Reacting to the backlash, Oliseh took to social media to clarify his role as a professional analyst, stressing that objective analysis should not be mistaken for a lack of patriotism.

“Constructive honesty is not a sign of dislike; it is a tool for improvement born out of a desire to see our nation succeed,” Oliseh stated.

The former Julius Berger and Ajax midfielder expressed concern that the criticism reflected a misunderstanding of his responsibilities as a television analyst.

“Just recently, I was accused of being ‘too supportive’ of the coaching staff. To now be accused of the opposite suggests a misunderstanding of my role as an analyst,” he added.

Oliseh maintained that while his professional duty demands impartiality and honest critique, his allegiance to the Super Eagles remains unquestionable.

“While my professional duty requires impartiality and objective critique, my heart remains firmly with the players and Coach Eric Chelle,” he said.

Describing the controversy as an unnecessary distraction, Oliseh urged Nigerians to rally behind the team as they continue their AFCON 2025 campaign.

“My loyalty to the Green and White is unwavering and requires no defense. Let us move past these distractions and unite in our support for the players. God bless Nigeria.”

The Super Eagles began their AFCON 2025 journey with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania and will now turn their attention to upcoming group fixtures as they push for a fourth continental title.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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