Leao praises Osimhen for giving him Galatasaray penalty after birth of second child

Rafael Leao has praised Victor Osimhen for a selfless gesture during Galatasaray’s 4-0 win over Konyaspor, after the Nigeria international handed his team-mate a penalty despite being the club’s regular spot-kick taker.

Osimhen had the chance to score twice in Friday’s Turkish Super Lig match on 30 October, a day after the birth of his second child. Instead, he allowed Leao to take the 55th-minute penalty, helping the Portugal international score his first competitive goal for the Turkish champions.

The Nigerian striker had already put Galatasaray ahead in the 12th minute, heading powerfully from Gabriel Sara’s delivery. He celebrated the goal following the arrival of his newborn daughter.

Leao said before the match he had jokingly challenged Osimhen to score twice as a way of marking the birth of his second child.

“Yesterday, Osimhen had his second child. So I told him, ‘You need to score two goals today,’” Leao said.

“He scored the first one, but during the penalty, he gave the ball to me.”

The former AC Milan winger, who joined Galatasaray during the summer transfer window, said Osimhen’s decision was especially meaningful because of the difficulty he had experienced in waiting for his first goal for the club.

“I’m very grateful to him. He knows how much I struggled for that goal,” Leao said.

Leao also viewed the incident as a reflection of the spirit within the Galatasaray squad, where personal milestones and the team’s wider ambitions are being balanced.

“We have a great group. I’m really happy to have this kind of teammate,” he added.

Yunus Akgun and Aleksey Batrakov were also on the scoresheet as Galatasaray secured a convincing victory over Konyaspor.

The result strengthened Galatasaray’s position at the top of the Turkish Super Lig standings.

For Osimhen, the match combined a significant personal celebration with an act of generosity towards a team-mate. Although he had the opportunity to complete a brace after scoring the opening goal, he chose to give Leao the responsibility from the spot.

Leao’s penalty ended his wait for a competitive goal since arriving at Galatasaray, while Osimhen’s decision provided a notable example of the unity within the club’s dressing room.