Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has removed himself from penalty-taking duties for Napoli following the posting of insulting TikTok videos on the club’s social media channels. The videos, which seemingly mocked Osimhen for begging for a penalty and featured his miss from the spot in a Serie A match against Bologna, led to a backlash from Osimhen and his supporters.
The controversy resulted in the departure of one of Napoli’s social media executives. Despite Napoli being awarded penalties in the three matches played since the incident, Osimhen has not taken any of them. Instead, Piotr Zielinski, Matteo Politano, and others have assumed penalty duties in recent games, including a Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
Reports suggest that Osimhen made the decision to step down from penalty duty himself, feeling unnecessarily mocked by the club’s social media team. The Nigerian striker had successfully scored penalties during the previous Serie A season and the early stages of the 2023/24 campaign. The incident highlights the impact of social media on player morale and decisions within football clubs.
