Star striker Victor Osimhen risks one of the best players of his generation missing out on the World Cup if Nigeria fail to advance to the 2026 tournament in the African qualifying play-offs, which begin on Thursday.
Osimhen’s injury has kept him out of the majority of Nigeria’s 10 qualifying group matches over the past two years, a major reason why the Super Eagles remain in the four-team playoff berth in Morocco. Nigeria will first play against Gabon.
The winner of Sunday’s playoff final against Cameroon or Congo still has work to do in the six-team intercontinental playoffs in March, likely in Mexico.
When I was 26 years old, Champions League top scorer Osimhen has been playing close to his peak this season at Galatasaray, with the skill, pace and power of his idol Didier Drogba. While wearing a mask to protect a metal plate inserted during a severe facial injury four years ago.
The boy, who once quit soccer to live and work in a church before breaking out at the U-17 World Cup, is carrying the hopes of Nigerian fans after missing out on qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Tough road to the playoffs
Things haven’t been smooth sailing for Nigeria heading into the playoffs, with players refusing to practice on Tuesday in Rabat over a dispute over unpaid bonuses.
Nigeria was the top seed in the six-team qualifying group, but failed to win their first four matches due to injuries to Osimhen in November 2023 and June 2024.
Osimhen’s six goals in five unbeaten games helped Nigeria move into second place after that last month. South Africa, group winners It made it to the World Cup.
Nigeria will be favored in the play-off semi-final against Gabon, who have their own talismanic striker in 36-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. At least not before preparations were interrupted.
“All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead,” Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong wrote. in a social media post.
Osimhen World Cup History
It was at the 2015 U-17 Cup held in Chile that he attracted worldwide attention as the Nigeria national team that won the title.
Osimhen scored in each of Nigeria’s seven matches, scoring a tournament-best 10th goal in the 2-0 final win over Mali.
He made his national team debut at the age of 18, but missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia after a goalless season with German club Wolfsburg.
Osimhen is Collaborating with Napoli When Nigeria was eliminated in the final stage of qualifying for the next World Cup in Qatar. Ghana won the two-leg playoff, which ended 1-1 due to the away goals rule.
road to success
“I come from a very poor family,” Osimhen said in a recent interview with UEFA. “I was the last of seven children. I lost my mother when I was young and my father also passed away in 2020.”
When he was young, he said, “At that time I had to try to live for myself and my brothers also had to try to help raise money.”
After that, he quit soccer. “Nothing came from football. I had to support my family because they were doing the best they could for me,” Osimhen said. This year, Nigerian broadcaster Daddy Freeze.
“I didn’t play football for almost two years after I graduated from middle school,” he said, recounting how he took a job helping sign up members at Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s church. “I stayed at the church for almost five months.”
When Osimhen resumed playing, his talent was spotted and nurtured by Nigeria Under-17 coach Emmanuel Amunike, who played on the beloved 1994 World Cup team.
Osimhen, a Serie A winner with Napoli and Africa’s Player of the Year in 2023, could similarly shine on the world stage in 2026.
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