When the world piled onto Eberechi Eze for his penalty miss in the Champions League final, it was his oldest friend in football who stepped forward first, and that friend plays for the Super Eagles.
Eberechi Eze will have experienced plenty of highs in an Arsenal shirt over the past two seasons, but Saturday night at the Puskas Arena in Budapest was not one of them. The Anglo-Nigerian midfielder dragged his penalty wide during the shootout as Arsenal lost the UEFA Champions League final to PSG, surrendering a chance to win the club’s first ever European Cup. Within hours, the criticism was fierce and widespread. Bright Osayi-Samuel, Eze’s closest friend in football and a Super Eagles regular, was having none of it.
The Birmingham City defender took to Instagram to post a video of Eze, captioning it simply: “Still the GOAT.” It was the kind of unconditional public support that only someone who has known a player for the best part of two decades would give in that moment, and it said as much about the quality of their friendship as it did about the criticism itself.
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How the Final Unfolded
Arsenal arrived at the Puskas Arena as slight underdogs but took a sixth-minute lead through Kai Havertz, who turned home from close range after a well worked set piece. What followed was a calculated defensive display from Mikel Arteta’s side, with all eleven men disciplined in their shape and PSG finding little space to work in. The French champions, who had been the more expansive side all evening, finally broke through in the 65th minute when Ousmane Dembele was brought down in the penalty area and converted the spot kick himself to level at 1-1.
Neither side could find a winner in the remaining time, and a full 30 minutes of extra time also failed to produce a decisive moment. When the shootout began, Eze had been introduced off the bench in extra time as a replacement for Havertz, meaning he was fresh and available among Arsenal’s designated takers. His effort was dragged well wide of the post, giving PSG the early advantage in the shootout. David Raya then kept Arsenal’s hopes alive by saving Nuno Mendes’ penalty, but Gabriel Magalhaes subsequently blazed his attempt over the crossbar to hand PSG the trophy. Nigerian football fans who want to back Arsenal and other English clubs in next season’s Champions League can check the Bet9ja YOHAIG welcome offer ahead of the group stage draw.
A Friendship That Predates Football Careers
Osayi-Samuel’s defence of Eze carries particular weight given how long and how well the two have known each other. They grew up in the same part of London and first played football together in the same district youth team during their secondary school years. When Osayi-Samuel joined Queens Park Rangers in 2017, he was reuniting with Eze, who had already been at Loftus Road since 2016. In the 2019/20 season, the two formed one of the most dangerous partnerships in the Championship, combining for 18 goals and 12 assists between them as QPR pushed for promotion.
Eze, speaking at the time, described Osayi-Samuel as someone who felt like a brother to him, and said it was a blessing to share a pitch with someone he had grown up with. That bond has endured through very different career paths. Eze left QPR for Crystal Palace in 2020, eventually earning a move to Arsenal, winning his first England senior caps and cementing himself as one of the most creative midfielders in the Premier League. Osayi-Samuel went to Fenerbahce in Turkey, committed his international future to Nigeria, and became a fixture in the Super Eagles’ right back position before returning to England with Birmingham City in 2025. Two very different journeys, but the friendship remained firmly intact throughout. Updates on Osayi-Samuel’s Super Eagles performances and Nigerian footballers across Europe are available via the latest Bet9ja promo code page and regular coverage on FootballInNigeria.com.ng.
The Nigerian Question That Never Fully Closed
What makes this story resonate even more for Nigerian football fans is the context around Eze’s international choice. Born in Greenwich to Nigerian parents, Eze represented England at youth level before earning his senior debut for the Three Lions. The NFF made multiple attempts to convince him to commit to Nigeria, including a high profile meeting with former NFF President Amaju Pinnick. Osayi-Samuel was also candid about his own attempts to persuade his friend during this period.
Earlier this year, Osayi-Samuel revealed in an interview that during Nigeria’s 2025 AFCON campaign, Eze reached out to him to ask about the atmosphere in the Super Eagles camp. The Birmingham City defender said he read the curiosity as something meaningful, a sign that Eze had genuine interest in what Nigeria’s football culture looked like from the inside. Osayi-Samuel’s conclusion, though, remained the same as it always had been.
“Of course, he picked England, but if it were a different life, I would tell him again, exactly the same thing now, Nigeria comes first.”
Eze has 16 England caps and three international goals to his name. He now looks ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where he will be part of Gareth Southgate’s squad. The penalty miss in Budapest will sting for some time, but the support of Osayi-Samuel, the man who has known him longest in football, should help put it in perspective. New Bet9ja users can get in on the Champions League action next season using the Bet9ja sign-up bonus before the new campaign kicks off in September.
📌 Did You Know?
- Eberechi Eze and Bright Osayi-Samuel first played football together in the same district youth team in London during secondary school, before reuniting at Queens Park Rangers in 2017.
- In the 2019/20 Championship season at QPR, Eze and Osayi-Samuel combined for 18 goals and 12 assists between them, making them one of the most productive attacking partnerships in the second tier of English football that year.
- Bright Osayi-Samuel was born in Okija, Anambra State, Nigeria, before moving with his family to Spain and eventually settling in Woolwich, London, as a child.
- Osayi-Samuel moved to Birmingham City ahead of the 2025/26 season, ending a four-year stint at Fenerbahce in Turkey where he made over 130 appearances and became a fan favourite at the club.
- Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ penalty during the shootout to give the Gunners a brief lifeline, but Gabriel Magalhaes and Eze both failed to convert, handing PSG the Champions League trophy.
- Eberechi Eze has earned 16 England senior caps and scored three goals for the Three Lions since making his debut. The NFF made multiple attempts to convince him to represent Nigeria before he formally committed to England.
- The 2026 UEFA Champions League final was held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, making it the second time the stadium has hosted a European Cup final after it staged the 2023 edition won by Manchester City.
