Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has opened up about an awkward experience from his early days with the national team, revealing how a senior player once sent him away from a hotel room during his first call-up in 2017.
Osimhen, who now plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray, shared the story during a livestream with comedian Carter Efe while recovering in Nigeria from an injury sustained in a UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool.
Recounting the incident, the forward said he had gone to visit fellow Nigerian star Kelechi Iheanacho, who had invited him over to his hotel room at the time.
According to Osimhen, things did not go as expected when he arrived.
“I met Iheanacho earlier and told him I would even carry his boots. He then asked me to come to his room and gave me the number,” he said.
“But when I got there and knocked, his roommate opened the door and just sent me away.”
Osimhen chose not to reveal the identity of the player involved but described him as a well-known figure in Nigerian football at the time.
However, the situation quickly changed when Iheanacho found out what had happened.
He said, “When Iheanacho came back and heard about it, he was angry. He asked why someone who came to see him was chased away. Then he took me by the hand and brought me inside.”
The former Napoli striker noted that the incident happened in 2017, during his early days with the Super Eagles, long before he rose to become one of Africa’s most celebrated forwards.
Today, Osimhen is widely regarded as one of the continent’s top talents, with his journey from a young, hopeful invitee to a global football star serving as inspiration to many aspiring players.
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