By Dayo Awoniyi
Galatasaray have officially confirmed that Victor Osimhen suffered ankle ligament damage during Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, the club’s team doctor, Op. Dr. Yener İnce, disclosed that medical scans conducted at Galatasaray’s partner hospital revealed a moderate sprain involving stretching and bleeding of the ankle ligaments.
“A moderate sprain (stretching and bleeding) was detected in his ankle ligaments and the necessary treatment has been initiated in order for our football player to return to the field as soon as possible,” Dr. İnce confirmed.
The news represents a significant blow for both club and country. Osimhen, who was forced off midway through the first half against Rwanda, has been central to Galatasaray’s attacking plans since his high-profile summer move from Napoli.
The Turkish champions are eager to have their talisman back quickly as they prepare for a congested fixture schedule, starting with a return to Süper Lig action against Eyüpspor, followed by the opening of their UEFA Champions League campaign away to Eintracht Frankfurt.
For Nigeria, Osimhen’s absence is equally troubling ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Bloemfontein, where the Super Eagles must fight to keep their hopes of automatic qualification alive.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
