Victor Agali has offered a fresh and detailed account of the controversial incident that led to his expulsion alongside Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Celestine Babayaro from Nigeria’s camp at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.
Speaking on the Home of Turf podcast, the former Super Eagles striker firmly rejected long standing claims that the trio had gone out partying, insisting instead that they remained within the team hotel.
“We were in the same hotel, just in the bar with my guys sharing wine,” Agali said. “The narrative was that we went to a club, No. We didn’t leave the hotel.”
According to Agali, the misunderstanding stemmed from internal checks within the camp, which somehow led to the conclusion that the players had breached discipline by leaving team premises.
“I don’t know who was checking rooms, but they came to that conclusion. I said, ‘which club?’ We were right there in the hotel.”
Agali described the events as both surprising and frustrating, particularly given his professional mindset at the time.
After Nigeria’s opening defeat in the tournament, he explained that his routine like many professionals was to mentally reset.
“As a professional, after a game, you try to relax and forget it. The game is gone, you look forward to the next one,” he said.
“I have my own way of regenerating. I want to hear music, see people… it keeps me fresh for the next training.”
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However, what followed was swift and decisive.
“We were called to the coach’s room and told to leave the camp,” he recalled. “I said no problem. I have nothing to prove.”
Agali also revealed that although he was later informed he had been “forgiven” and could return, he had already decided to leave.
“They called me back, but I had already changed my ticket. I was done.”
Reflecting on the decision years later, Agali questioned the logic behind expelling key players during a major tournament.
“How can you want to win a major competition and send out two key strikers and a top defender?” he asked.
The trio’s exit proved significant. The tournament would go on to mark the emergence of Osaze Odemwingie, who stepped into the spotlight in their absence.
Agali’s revelations come amid his recent claims regarding player welfare, where he alleged that funds sent from FIFA for former internationals have not reached him.
“There is money coming from FIFA to Nigeria for ex-players… I personally have not received anything,” he said in an earlier interview.
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More than two decades on, the events of Tunisia 2004 remain a talking point with Agali now breaking his silence, the narrative has taken on a new dimension.
