Nigerian journalist claims Osimhen is now greater than Victor Osimhen
Following the CAF Men’s Player of the Year triumph over Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, a renowned Nigerian journalist claimed Victor Osimhen has surpassed JJ Okocha’s legacy in Nigerian football.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen ended Nigeria’s 24-year wait for a CAF Men’s Footballer of the Year Award, and this has prompted comparisons with other legends of the sport, more specifically Jay Jay Okocha, who, despite his tremendous efforts, never received the award.
Osimhen’s triumph
The APOTY gong rewarded an incredible year for the striker, which not many, if any, players from the country had ever attained.
As cannot be overemphasised, he led Napoli to their first scudetto triumph since Maradona called Naples home, doing it similarly to D10S by scoring the most goals in the league.
Osimhen picked up the Capoocanoniere alongside the league title in a season where he became the highest-scoring African in the entirety of Serie A’s history, and this, in tandem with being named the best player in the continent by CAF, has earned him high praise from a renowned Nigerian journalist.
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Respected sports journalist Steve Dede, elated by Osimhen’s achievements, stated boldly that the striker had moved past the revered Okocha on the rankings of the greatest-ever players to have donned several shades of green for the Super Eagles.
“Victor Osimhen just moved past Okocha in the ranking of the greatest-ever Nigerian players,” Steve said on X.
Pressed further by Pulse Sports’ Senior Editor Solace Chukwu, who, on his list of the top ten greatest Nigerian footballers of all time, named Jay Jay at 10th, Steve Dede submitted that he was substituting Okocha on said ranking, with Osimhen making an entry at 10th.
Jay-Jay Okocha made his World Cup debut in 1994 (Credit: IMAGO/Buzzi)
Jay-Jay Okocha made his World Cup debut in 1994 (Credit: IMAGO/Buzzi