Mario Lemina has described Victor Osimhen as the best striker he has played alongside in his career following Galatasaray’s 1–0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday.
Osimhen provided the assist for Lemina’s decisive goal in the encounter, helping the Turkish side secure a narrow win.
The Gabon international praised the Nigerian striker’s relentless work rate and winning mentality, saying they set him apart from other top forwards he has played with.
“I’ve played with forwards like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gonzalo Higuain, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Radamel Falcao, but there’s no one like Victor Osimhen. He’s one of a kind,” Lemina said in a conversation with Djibril Drame.
He added that Osimhen’s influence goes beyond scoring goals.
“Even if he doesn’t score, he’s constantly contributing, constantly a threat. Always pressing. He defends with us. On top of that, he’s a complete finisher.”
Lemina also highlighted the striker’s fierce competitive nature.
“I’ve never seen such a hungry forward. He hates losing, and when we lose, he won’t talk to you. The next day, he puts on his headphones and doesn’t talk to anyone. But these are good habits. It’s a fantastic thing.”
Osimhen has been in outstanding form this season, registering 18 goals and five assists in 27 appearances across all competitions for Galatasaray.
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.
