Veteran football legend Thierry Henry, affectionately known by many Nigerian fans as “Igwe,” had social media buzzing after he greeted Nigerian star Victor Osimhen in Nigerian Pidgin English during a post-match interview following Galatasaray S.K.’s dramatic passage into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
The Istanbul giants advanced 7–5 on aggregate over Juventus F.C. despite losing the second leg 3–2, thanks to Osimhen’s extra-time equaliser and a late winner from Barış Alper Yılmaz.
Speaking on CBS Sports, Henry surprised Osimhen — and delighted Nigerian fans — by deliberately switching to Nigerian Pidgin for his opening line:
“Victor, how bodi?”
The phrase, loosely translated as “Victor, how are you?”, immediately drew laughter from Osimhen and lit up the stadium atmosphere, while viewers online flooded social media with reactions praising Henry’s cultural nod.
Henry’s playful greeting quickly went viral, with fans applauding the former Arsenal striker’s connection to Nigerian supporters and his light-hearted rapport with Osimhen after another decisive European performance.
For Osimhen, it was yet another memorable night — not just for his heroics on the pitch, but also for a moment that resonated far beyond football.
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.
