Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has set his sights on winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Super Eagles, saying it would be the best moment of his life.
Osimhen, who plays for Italian club Napoli, had a stellar 2023 season, scoring 26 goals to help his team clinch their first Serie A title since 1990. He also beat Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah to the African Player of the Year award, becoming the first Nigerian to win the prestigious prize since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
But the 24-year-old is not satisfied with his personal accolades. He wants to add a team trophy to his collection and emulate the Nigerian legends who lifted the AFCON trophy in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
“It would be one of the best moments of my life,” Osimhen told reporters ahead of Nigeria’s second group game against hosts Ivory Coast on Thursday in Abidjan.
“I have done that with Napoli, I have made history, but no matter what I do, no matter how many goals I have scored, to be able to win the AFCON, I would go a long way in my life but probably when I do that I am done,” he admitted.
“I am really looking forward to winning something with the Super Eagles.”
A Dream Come True
Osimhen, who started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos, rose to prominence at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup in Chile, where he scored 10 goals to win the Golden Boot and the Silver Ball awards. He also helped Nigeria win the tournament for a record fifth time.
He then moved to Europe, where he played for Wolfsburg in Germany, Charleroi and Lille in France, before joining Napoli in 2020 for a club-record fee of €70 million ($79 million).
“I used to speak with Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha. I think I owe a lot of my success to them because they have been sort of an inspiration to me while growing up,” he said.
“To be up there in the same category as them – not that I am better than them in terms of football, but in terms of what I have achieved – I think is huge for me.”
A Tough Challenge
Osimhen, who has scored 11 goals in 19 appearances for the senior national team, is the focal point of Nigeria’s attack at the AFCON. He scored in the opening 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea but admitted that the result was disappointing.
“Going forward we need to make sure we get it right in the next game, which is against a tougher opponent,” he said.
Nigeria will face Ivory Coast, who beat Sudan 2-0 in their first match, in a crucial clash that could decide the fate of Group A. The Super Eagles will need to improve their performance and avoid the mistakes that cost them two points against the Nzalang Nacional.
Osimhen said he was confident that Nigeria had the quality and the experience to overcome the challenge and advance to the knockout stage.
“We have a lot of players who have played at the highest level, who have won trophies, who have played in big competitions,” he said.
Osimhen also praised the fans who have been supporting the team in Ivory Coast, saying they gave them extra energy and motivation.
Osimhen said he was living his dream of playing for Nigeria and representing his country at the AFCON, and hoped to make it a memorable one by lifting the trophy.
Source: Punch
