A Nigerian football fan has shared a startling online discovery that shifted his anger to sympathy for Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze. The incident followed Chukwueze's crucial penalty miss during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 semi-final clash against Morocco, which sparked nationwide disappointment.
From Trolling to Praying: A Fan's Change of Heart
The man, identified on the X platform as @alusi_aku, revealed that his initial plan was to join other Nigerians in criticizing Chukwueze online. The missed spot-kick during the high-stakes match on January 15, 2026, had ignited widespread fury among supporters who felt it cost Nigeria a place in the final.
However, upon visiting the footballer's social media page, his intention to troll vanished. He was met with an avalanche of messages that crossed the line from sports criticism into personal attacks and severe curses. "I go Chukwueze page to troll am, i see heavy curses, I start to pray for am. them wan take him life," he posted, capturing his shocking turnaround.
Nigerian Social Media Erupts in Anger and Debate
The fan's post on X itself triggered massive reactions, opening a window into the intense emotions surrounding the event. Many commenters remained unforgiving, accusing Chukwueze of a lack of seriousness.
User Giwa insisted, "He did it on purpose. Nothing dem wan tell me." Another user, Spirit, recalled predicting the miss based on the player's body language: "As I see am dey chew gum I tell my guy this fool go miss this pk."
Navigator criticized his approach to the penalty: "The way him been dy waka I think say him been wan arrange the ball before I know werey don play am." Delight Child echoed the sentiment of intentional failure, stating, "That wasn't a mistake, that was intentional... he was so nonchalant about winning."
A Broader Critique of Fan Culture and Player Performance
Some reactions, however, pointed fingers at the toxic nature of the backlash. User Toretto highlighted a contradiction in public behavior: "This is the problems with Nigerians. One mistake and they will come at you like committed homicide... Na celebs body una dey get power."
Other analyses focused on the game's broader context. Okun Ola noted, "It's not just about losing penalties, his body language was off. Carefree attitude when it mattered most." This view suggested the miss was symptomatic of a larger performance issue from several players during the match.
User Chiemy offered a perspective linking the fury to financial loss, implying some fans had bet heavily on the outcome: "Na people wey bet with their lives dey trow him. Them use all their savings bet and now e don choke them, so the frustration na him body."
The episode underscores the immense pressure on national team players and the sometimes volatile reaction from a passionate fanbase. It also reveals how a single moment in sport can spiral into widespread online hostility, prompting even critics to reflect on the limits of acceptable feedback.
