Ahmed Musa Reveals Why Ighalo Quit The Super Eagles

Ahmed Musa, the captain of the Super Eagles, has blamed the choice of Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, and Odion Ighalo to leave the national team early on the passionate Nigerian fans.

Musa opened out about the circumstances surrounding the trio’s retirement ahead of Nigeria’s match against Zimbabwe in a matchday two World Cup qualifier at Stade Huye in Butare, Rwanda.

“We have a lot of players who should not have retired from the team when they did but it was what the media reported that forced them out,” Musa said.

“As you can see, we still need someone like Mikel Obi in the team, we still need Victor Moses. “It’s not all about young players in the team because you need players to take them along, but right now we don’t have that.”

Mikel retired from the Super Eagles after Nigeria placed third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, while Moses left after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Odion Ighalo left the Super Eagles after getting death threats on social media, according to Ahmed Musa, who blames fervent Nigerian fans for the departures of Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, and Ighalo.

Musa, on the other hand, urged the media to assist relieve the burden on the squad’s younger players to perform.

“Please, I am begging the media to please take it easy with these young boys, they can’t take too much pressure.

“That is why whenever they go onto the pitch to play they panic because they are thinking about what they are going to see on their accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.”

Musa also said that Ighalo was forced to leave the Nigerian national squad after receiving death threats on social media.

“What do you think forced Odion Ighalo out of Eagles? They threatened to kill his family, and he had to quit.

“Why will you threaten to kill my family just because I play for my country. When you go outside, you see how they worship us, but when you come back home they treat you like nobody,” he said.

Ighalo announced his retirement from international football following the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but he was returned to the Nigeria team for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. However, his club, Al Shabab, prevented him from participating at the time.