Osimhen, Boniface Pairing won’t work for Super Eagles – Ambrose

Ambrose believes that although the players have been exceptional for their respective clubs, the combination of Osimhen and Boniface might pose tactical challenges for the national team.

Osimhen made history last season by becoming Serie A’s top scorer – the first African to achieve this feat – while also playing a pivotal role in Napoli’s Scudetto triumph.

Meanwhile, Boniface has been in fine form for Bayer Leverkusen since his return from injury, reigniting hopes of seeing the duo lead Nigeria’s frontline.

As the Super Eagles gear up for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in June, expectations are high among fans to witness the pairing of these prolific forwards.

However, the 2013 AFCON-winning squad has cautioned against premature excitement. Ambrose highlighted the potential challenges of accommodating two point-men in the same formation.

He expressed concerns that one of the players might be forced out of position or relegated to the bench, disrupting the team’s balance.

Ambrose elaborated, “Two good players playing in two different teams with different formations is different from playing in the same team with a different formation,” Ambrose told OwnGoalNigeria.

“They are both point-man at their clubs, so having both play for Nigeria will mean one playing out of position or one dropping to the bench.

“Boniface plays in a formation where he is at the peak of the attack to receive the passes, just like Osimhen at Napoli. Playing both in a 4-4-2 formation looks good on paper, but they could be a problem of players running into each other’s space in the box.”