By Monsurah Olatunji
HT Spor analyst Cem Dizdar has raised concerns over the disparity in recognition between Gabriel Sara and Victor Osimhen, questioning why Sara’s crucial contributions to Galatasaray’s season are not being acknowledged as much as those of Nigerian.
Osimhen has become a fan favorite since joining Galatasaray on loan from Napoli during the summer transfer window.
The Super Eagles striker has been exceptional, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists in 16 matches across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in the team’s title challenge.
In contrast, Sara, who joined Galatasaray from Norwich City, has contributed two goals and six assists in 15 league appearances.
Despite his impressive performances, Sara has not received the same level of recognition as Osimhen, which has drawn the ire of Cem Dizdar.
“Everyone talks about Victor Osimhen scoring too many goals, but why doesn’t anyone talk about Gabriel Sara’s assists?” Dizdar questioned.
“Because Victor Osimhen is a showcase player, we only praise him. Gabriel Sara made such crosses in the Beşiktaş match that it was literally a pinpoint hit. He contributed two assists.”
Dizdar also suggested that Sara’s early arrival from the Championship and the fee paid for him have led to unfair prejudice against him.
“At the beginning of the season, everyone was prejudiced because of the money he was paid and because he came from the Championship,” he added, advocating for a more balanced evaluation of both players’ contributions to the team.
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.
