On the bustling streets of Istanbul, where Galatasaray’s yellow and red still paint the city in celebration, Victor Osimhen has already lived a footballing rebirth.
Once burdened by a turbulent spell in Naples, the masked striker rediscovered his spark in Turkey. He fired the Lions to a historic 25th Super Lig title and carved his name into club folklore.
In Istanbul, he is adored, a symbol of resilience and triumph.
Yet football offers no room for comfort, especially for a player of Osimhen’s stature. When the colours shift from Galatasaray’s red and yellow to Nigeria’s green and white, admiration gives way to expectation.
The tall, lanky forward from Olusosun, Lagos State, is no longer just a club hero. He is now asked to carry a nation.
The task is simple in wording, but brutal in reality, to win the Africa Cup of Nations. Without it, despite his name already sitting among Nigeria’s greats, there will always be a dent, even at just 26.
On the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, draped in the yellow and red of the ever-popular Galatasaray, the memories of the club’s 25th Super Lig title still linger. At the heart of that triumph sits a familiar figure Nigeria’s masked prince, Victor Osimhen.
He arrived in Turkey from a troubled spell with Napoli in Italy. He then went on to lead the Lions through a historic 2023/24 season. His heroics in Istanbul are already etched in club folklore.
Osimhen currently has 36 national team appearances and 22 goals. He is firmly in the race to chase down the revered late Rashidi Yekini as Nigeria’s highest goalscorer.
Some might argue that placing the weight of Nigeria’s 2025 AFCON hopes squarely on his shoulders is unfair. But context matters.
Osimhen has featured in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments already, with the 2025 edition set to be his third.
His first was in 2019, where he played one game, scored no goals, and finished with a bronze medal.
His second came in the 2023 edition, where he played seven games and scored just once. Nigeria finished as runners-up, falling to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.
Nigeria has seen the talent before this time, the nation wants the trophy.
Compare that with Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s benchmark. Yekini played across four AFCON tournaments, scoring 13 goals in total and lifting the trophy in 1994.
That is history, not only remembering goals, but moments, leadership, and silverware.
With Osimhen, the story is clear. He is 26, at the height of his powers, and surrounded by one of the most talented Super Eagles squads in years. At least on paper.
The pressure is rising, and rightly so. He has delivered in Italy. He has delivered in Turkey. Now, Nigeria needs him to deliver at home.
Especially after missing out on another World Cup for the second consecutive time, the hunger for continental redemption has only grown.
For Nigerian Fans, it isn’t just about winning the 2025 AFCON.
There is more to it. The streets want their Jagun Jagun, Warrior, like they call Osimhen at the centre of the story. He shows up in the hardest moments, carrying the team when the weight is heaviest, and defining an era.
Osimhen needs this. Because in football, fanhood memories are etched in history by trophies. Without one, memories shockingly fade.
