Lagos, Nigeria — Nigeria international footballer Victor Osimhen has shared a personal experience from the early stage of his career with the senior national team, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, describing how he was initially turned away by a senior teammate before receiving support from Kelechi Iheanacho.
Okay News reports that the Napoli forward made the revelation during a live online broadcast on the streaming platform Twitch, where he spoke with Nigerian comedian Carter Efe.
Osimhen explained that the incident occurred in 2017 during his first invitation to the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national men’s football team. At the time, he had gone to visit Iheanacho, who was then playing club football in England for Manchester City Football Club, as a sign of respect and willingness to assist the more established player.
“When I came, I met Iheanacho. And I told him, ‘Ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ So he said I should come to his room so, he gave me his room number.
“So, as I got to his room — I don’t just want to mention the name — he had a roommate. So, as I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door. So, he like bounced me out of the room,” Osimhen said.
The striker added that Iheanacho later intervened after discovering what had happened, expressing displeasure at the treatment given to the younger player.
“Iheanacho showed up and was angry at him, saying, ‘You see that someone came to see me in my room and you are chasing him from my room.’ So Iheanacho took my hand and took me inside,” he said.
The account highlights the challenges younger players can face when integrating into senior national teams, as well as the role of established teammates in supporting new entrants.
Osimhen is currently in Nigeria recovering from a broken arm he sustained while playing for Turkish club Galatasaray during a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League match against Liverpool Football Club.
