"There is so much more to come from me"

Victor Osimhen is one in a long line of stellar Nigerian centre-forwards, but in many ways he is altogether unique. Oluwashina Okeleji sits down with the Super Eagles goal machine ahead of Nigeria's quest to win AFCON 2023

- VICTOR OSIMHEN

Since breaking out as part of the country’s successful Under-17 World Cup-winning side in 2015, Victor Osimhen has been earmarked for superstardom in much the same way as Wilson Oruma, Chrisantus Macauley, Kelechi Iheanacho and Sani Emmanuel – all Nigerians who won the same competition as well as the Golden Boot – were before him.

The results have been mixed down the years: Oruma and Iheanacho have built successful careers, while Emmanuel and Macauley faltered. However, Osimhen has lived up to the expectation and then some, in September becoming the first Nigerian to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.

“I played football growing up with the dream of becoming one of the best players in the world,” he tells World Soccer. “I watched some of the greats on television and deeply imagined what it would be like to be on that stage.

“I think you can see the desire in my game whenever I’m on the pitch; I fight for every ball, I don’t take no for an answer. That’s where that comes from. Being nominated as one of the 30 top players shows all that effort was worth it. It’s huge for me and my family.”