Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, has recounted a memorable moment from his first national team call-up in 2017, when he experienced a mix of rejection and support from fellow players.
Speaking on a Twitch broadcast with comedian Carter Efe on Saturday, Osimhen, who is currently in Nigeria recovering from a broken arm sustained in Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool, revealed how he was initially turned away at the door of a teammate’s hotel room.
Osimhen explained that he had gone to visit then-Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho. “When I came, I met Iheanacho and told him, ‘Ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ He gave me his room number and invited me in,” he said.
However, upon arrival, Iheanacho’s roommate opened the door and promptly sent him away. Osimhen declined to name the individual but noted he was a prominent figure in Nigerian football at the time.
Iheanacho, he said, was displeased when he learned what had happened. “He said, ‘You see someone came to see me, and you are chasing him away?’ Then he took my hand and brought me inside,” Osimhen recalled.
The incident marked an early test for Osimhen in the Super Eagles, demonstrating the challenges and eventual respect he would earn as one of Africa’s top strikers.
