Nigerian footballers celebrate Victor Osimhen’s heroics against Fenerbahçe

By: Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen’s sensational performance in Galatasaray’s 2-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Cup has sparked an outpouring of praise from his Super Eagles teammates.

The 26-year-old forward’s brace on Wednesday night eliminated José Mourinho’s side from the competition and further cemented his reputation as one of the top strikers in world football.

Osimhen opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a precise shot from the edge of the box before converting a penalty in the 27th minute to double his side’s lead. His impressive display contributed to his season tally of 31 goals for club and country.

Among the first to congratulate Osimhen was Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, a fellow Super Eagles forward and close friend. Boniface praised Osimhen’s performance, writing on social media, “The best ever.”

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong expressed his admiration with two fire emojis, while Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie cleverly coined the term “Goal-simhen” alongside a crown emoji, symbolizing the striker’s royal status on the field.

Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, kept it simple with the comment, “Goals na water,” highlighting Osimhen’s ease in finding the back of the net. Chippa United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali also chimed in with “Goal machine.”

In addition to the praise, the heated derby featured a fiery moment when Osimhen was elbowed in the face by a Fenerbahçe defender, prompting a furious reaction from the Nigerian star.

Fulham players Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey shared a video on Snapchat, capturing the moment Osimhen squared up to Fenerbahçe substitute Mert Muldur. Bassey, clearly proud of his teammate, shouted “Don’t play with my boy!” while cheering, “Osimhen!”

The Napoli striker, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League, is sure to remain one of the most sought-after players in world football.