AFCON 2025: Journalist Shares Why Super Eagles Players Didn't Receive Their Bronze Medals in Morocco
- The Guardian journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, has publicly shared why Super Eagles players weren't handed their bronze medals in Morocco
- Nigeria finished third in the just-concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after winning Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout in their third-place match
- According to Osasu, he spoke with the current president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, on Monday, January 19, about it, and he gave him an answer
After Nigeria defeated Egypt in its third-place match, many people expected Super Eagles players to receive their bronze medals on the final day of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, but that wasn't the case.
Shedding light on why that was so, Osasu Obayiuwana, The Guardian journalist, shared on X (formerly Twitter), what the NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, told him concerning that.
Source: Getty Images
AFCON: Journalist shares what NFF president said
In a tweet on Monday, January 19, the journalist said the NFF president told him that Super Eagles players could not wait to receive their medals on Sunday, January 18.
This is because their clubs were already on their necks for their return to club action. Osasu added that the NFF president informed him that the medals are in his possession.
He concluded by saying that the players would have received their medals on the day of the third-place match had the medal ceremony taken place that day. The journalist's tweet read:
"Everyone is asking why the @NGSuperEagles players did not receive their #AFCON2025 medals in #Maroc. Here is the answer from @thenff President @IbrahimMusaGus1, who just spoke to me a few minutes ago:
“'The players could not wait to receive their medals on Sunday. Their clubs were already after them to come back after Saturday’s game. I have the medals in my possession. And this is the case for #Egypt too, not just us. Had the medal ceremony taken place on the day of the match, they would have had the medals,” Gusau said.,"
Source: Getty Images
See his tweet below:
AFCON 2025: Journalist's revelation stirs reactions
Legit.ng has compiled some reactions to the journalist's statement below:
@henrynwn said:
"Yes, they had to return to their clubs immediately that's the professional way to go.
"A 3rd place medal, keep it till when they reconvene or send it to them."
@Awele60930222 said:
"Someone proposed that 3rd place match and the finals be played in same location to save bronze medal winners the stress of traveling from one end of the country to another.
"Worth considering."
@gorgeousgbemi said:
"This Afcon is the worst ever!!! You want them to leave their clubs and stay with CAF and Morocco's inconsistencies??. We know their worth..the nonsense medal doesn't show the true test of their ability.. CAF should give the bronze to Morocco to add to their silver ..nonesense."
@haywhie said:
"I asked this question today and I intentionally tagged you and quote on your post but you decide to ignore it… It is well."
@EnekMoses said:
"Normally 3rd place matches used to play the same day as the finals just earlier I don’t know why they changed it to separate todays and in this case separate locations to receive the medal 🤦♂️."
@Adeyimika05 said:
"Playing and Winning for your nation = inconvenient Winning for your club = priority. Hypocrites. They’d never do this to European or other continent competition."
@chuckfav said:
"They could have played it the same day, within close proximity. Like 3rd place should be played by 4pm and finals by 8pm."
AFCON 2027: Super Eagles coach makes promise
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, had made a bold promise to the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of AFCON 2027.
Nigeria had a decent campaign at AFCON 2025, finishing as bronze medalists after beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the third-place play-off match.
As noted by the NFF, Nigerians, though disappointed not to win the trophy, acknowledged the progress the Super Eagles made under Chelle, particularly with the style of play.
Source: Legit.ng
