Words Don’t Win Matches” — Gabon Coach Laughs Off Osimhen’s World Cup Pledge

“Words Don’t Win Matches” — Gabon Coach Laughs Off Osimhen’s World Cup Pledge 

By BSN Sports 

 Gabon’s head coach Thierry Mouyouma has responded with skepticism to Victor Osimhen’s recent pledge to “give everything” to help Nigeria qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, suggesting that words alone will not determine the outcome of their upcoming playoff clash, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Osimhen, who stars for Galatasaray, has been instrumental in Nigeria’s qualification campaign, netting six goals in five matches and helping the Super Eagles collect 13 points from a possible 15. In his absence, the team managed just four points, underscoring his importance to the squad.

However, speaking at a press conference monitored by All Nigeria Soccer, Mouyouma appeared unimpressed by the Nigerian striker’s motivational remarks, drawing comparisons with Nigeria’s defeat in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final despite similar pre-match pledges from Osimhen.

 “Words don’t win matches,” Mouyouma reportedly said. “We’ve heard such promises before. We remember the AFCON final — what mattered was what happened on the pitch.”

Aubameyang’s Example and Mind Games

Mouyouma contrasted Osimhen’s comments with the dedication of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who, according to the coach, demonstrated his commitment by staying with the national team during a suspension period. “Aubameyang stayed with us when he could have left. That is what I call leadership,” Mouyouma added, in what many observers interpreted as a subtle psychological jab aimed at unsettling Nigeria’s talisman.

The exchange adds an extra layer of intrigue to what is expected to be a fiercely contested playoff. With both nations seeking a return to the World Cup stage, the battle between Osimhen, Nigeria’s second-highest all-time scorer with 29 goals and Aubameyang, Gabon’s record scorer with 39 goals, could prove decisive.

While Mouyouma’s remarks may serve as pre-match mind games, Osimhen’s track record and leadership remain key to Nigeria’s ambitions as the Super Eagles push for a seventh World Cup apearance.