Sports
Victor Osimhen: From Lagos streets to ‘new King of Africa’
Victor Osimhen has been hailed as the “new king of Africa” after the Nigeria striker was named as the continent’s Footballer of the Year for 2023.
The 24-year-old Napoli man picked up the prize at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) awards on Monday night, seeing off competition from Egypt captain Mohamed Salah and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi.
For Osimhen, who grew up on the dusty streets of Olusosun in Lagos, it is a “dream come true” after facing the stark reality of life as a child.
“I have to thank everybody who has helped me on this journey and all Africans who have helped to put me on the map despite my faults,” Osimhen said.
Greeted daily with the stench from a waste dump in his neighbourhood, Osimhen says he had a burning desire to succeed against all odds.
He had to sell newspapers and bottles of water, describing his situation as being “in the trenches”.
King Osimhen
“As a young boy who had to hawk in traffic almost every day in order to survive the numerous challenges my family and I were facing, becoming a treasure in Africa and world football was a wild dream,” he said in a message posted on X.
“My football journey has been a rollercoaster of highs, tough lows and emotions.
“The goals and jubilation of victories keep me going even when the critics, hate and pain of defeats hit me hard in the chest.”
After scoring 26 goals to help Napoli to a first Italian league title in 33 years, Osimhen became the first Nigerian to win the Caf’s men’s award since former Arsenal forward Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
“What Osimhen has done is incredible,” ex-Arsenal and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who won the award in 2008, told Caf TV.
With former Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, himself a two-time Caf Footballer of the Year, describing the former Lille striker as Africa’s new footballing royalty, there are now hopes that he can spur Nigeria on to a new era of success.
Osimhen’s rise to the top has been a slow burn rather than the story of a one-season wonder.
Starring for Nigeria in their victorious 2015 Under-17 World Cup was the turning point in his career which indicated he was a child of destiny.
His 10 goals in Chile secured the golden boot and saw him named Caf’s Young Player of the Year – yet Osimhen almost missed out on selection for the squad.
“I had already overlooked him because he was paired with other players who played badly,” Emmanuel Amuneke, the coach of that side, told BBC Sport Africa.
“But my backroom staff noticed him and drew my attention to him. I gave him another chance and he proved himself to make the squad.”
It was no surprise that Osimhen, after receiving his Caf award in Morocco, praised his former coach for helping him fulfil his dreams.
“Special thanks goes to Emmanuel Amuneke. Without him, I don’t think I would be standing here holding one of the most prestigious awards in world football,” he said.
There have certainly been a few bumps along the way.
His move to German club Wolfsburg in January 2017 almost turned out to be a nightmare for the young prospect, who featured 16 times without scoring before a loan switch to Charleroi in Belgium in 2018-19 provided a lifeline.
Osimhen’s reputation was enhanced at Lille to the point that Napoli were reported to have paid $96m (£76.5m) – one of the highest fees ever for an African player – for his services in July 2020.
Before his stellar season which secured a historic Serie A title, he was forced to miss out on the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) because of Covid-19 and a facial injury which still requires him to play wearing a protective mask.
Moreover, he had to deal with the death of both his mother and father in 2020
“Losing my dear parents in the course of this journey leaves a scar in my heart as they have always been my major driving force for success,” Osimhen added in his post on X.
“To my wonderful family, thanks for always having my back and loving me so much. I wouldn’t have made it this far without your support.”
Liverpool forward Salah and former Reds team-mate Sadio Mane, both 31, had won the past four Caf awards between them, and Osimhen’s success in Marrakesh could herald the coming of the next generation.
Fellow Super Eagle Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen), Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus (West Ham) and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart) have all made waves already this season.
Meanwhile, Nigeria fans hope Osimhen’s recognition could provide the impetus for the national side to challenge again for the Afcon trophy, which the West Africans last lifted in 2013.
The side failed to qualify for the finals in 2015 and 2017, finished third in 2019 and were knocked out in the last 16 in the 2021 edition in Cameroon.
“This recognition at the highest level is a massive shot in the arm for Nigeria football,” Abuja Football Association chairman Adam Muktar Mohammed told AFP.
“Evidently, there is an abundance of talent in Nigeria. We only have to harness this talent to be a major force in international football.”
Drogba – whom Osimhen has acknowledged as his idol growing up – believes Nigeria could certainly be a threat at the 2023 Afcon, which kicks off in Ivory Coast next month.
The Super Eagles have been drawn alongside the hosts, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in Group A at the finals.
“We are waiting for you in January,” Drogba added in his congratulatory message to Osimhen.
Should Osimhen get his hands on the Nations Cup trophy in Abidjan on 11 February, the adulation he has received in football-mad Nigeria since his coronation on Monday night will be pushed to new levels.
Culled from BBC Sports
Mexico’s Julian Quinones pulled one back before halftime, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box to fire into the roof of the net and revive the co-hosts’ hopes.
England were reduced to 10 men in the second half after Jarrell Quansah was sent off following a VAR review, but Harry Kane restored England’s two-goal lead with a penalty after goalkeeper Raul Rangel fouled Anthony Gordon.
Mexico’s Raul Jimenez reduced the deficit with another penalty after a VAR review confirmed a foul from Kane on Brian Gutierrez.
The match was delayed by one hour due to adverse weather conditions around the Azteca Stadium.
England will face Norway in the last eight in Miami on Saturday.
Morocco’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands on Tuesday sparked jubilant celebrations in The Hague, home to one of the Netherlands’ largest Moroccan communities, but the festivities later descended into clashes with police that resulted in several arrests.
In the city’s Schilderswijk district, Moroccan supporters flooded the streets waving national flags, dancing and chanting as car horns blared and fireworks lit up the night.
Hundreds of fans gathered at a major intersection, kicking footballs into the air, singing, and celebrating with occupants of passing vehicles. Some supporters even climbed onto moving cars in scenes of exuberance following Morocco’s historic triumph.
However, about an hour into the celebrations, riot police moved in to disperse the crowds. Officers deployed water cannons and carried out baton charges as they sought to restore order.
AFP reporters at the scene witnessed around a dozen arrests. Several young men were pinned to the ground after being struck on the legs with batons before being handcuffed and taken away in police vans.
Police officers on bicycles also pursued groups of youths through nearby streets in a cat-and-mouse chase, although no significant property damage was reported.
Despite repeated requests, revellers declined to speak to journalists, with many choosing to conceal their identities by wearing balaclavas or other face coverings.
The last-32 encounter in Monterrey ended 1-1 after extra time before being decided by a tense penalty shoot-out. After a series of misses by both sides, Morocco striker Ismael Saibari, who plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, calmly converted the decisive spot-kick to send Morocco into the last 16.
Morocco will now face co-hosts Canada in the round of 16.
A 26-year-old lawyer, Sara Araba Tettey, has tragically died while celebrating Ghana’s World Cup victory over Panama.
Tettey, a newly qualified lawyer and alumna of the Faculty of Law at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was among millions of Ghanaians rejoicing over the Black Stars’ triumph when tragedy struck.
According to reports, she suffered a cardiac arrest while watching the match with friends at Standard Hostel, a private student hostel located at Bomso near the KNUST campus in Kumasi.
Witnesses immediately rushed her to the
KNUST Hospital, where medical personnel reportedly spent about 45 minutes administering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in a desperate attempt to save her life. Sadly, all efforts proved unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead.
Tettey had only recently been called to the Ghana Bar, making her sudden death even more heartbreaking for family, friends, colleagues, and members of the legal community.
News of her passing has spread rapidly across the country, casting a shadow over what had been a moment of national celebration. While Ghanaians continue to celebrate the Black Stars’ victory, many are also mourning the loss of a promising young professional whose life was cut short.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness and rapid medical response during large public and social events.
What should have been a day remembered solely for Ghana’s sporting success has instead become a day marked by both celebration and sorrow.
A statement on the Tunisian FA Instagram read: “An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi.
“Plans are under way to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach [on an interim basis].”
Tunisia play Japan in their second group game on Saturday before facing the Netherlands.
Lamouchi was appointed in January and took charge of just five games. His only win came in a 1-0 victory over Haiti, who started their World Cup campaign against Scotland at the weekend.
The former Nottingham Forest boss was appearing at his second World Cup, having taken charge of Ivory Coast in 2014 where they were knocked out in the group stages.
…charges team to bring home continental trophy
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has gifted players and management of Rangers International Football Club with plots of land and the sum of N150 million for winning the 2025/2026 NPFL title.
Mbah announced the gifts during a dinner reception he hosted in honour of the players, technical crew and management of the team at Government House, Enugu, on Tuesday night.
Rangers FC won the league for a record-equaling ninth time and also for a second time in three years under the Mbah Administration following a 2-1 win over Ikorodu City Boys in Lagos on May 24, 2026.
Speaking at the event, Mbah likened the reception to welcoming home a child who had excelled academically, saying the government and people of Enugu State were delighted to celebrate the team’s success.
“We are providing you with a cash gift of N100 million for the players and N50 million for the technical and management crew.
“In addition to that, we have approved a plot of land in Enugu for every player, while additional plots will be allocated to the General Manager, Head Coach, Secretary and Assistant Coach,” Mbah said.
The governor noted that Rangers was more than a football club, describing it as a symbol of resilience, unity, hope and social renewal established in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War.
According to him, the club carries a rich history and legacy associated with football legends such as the late Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala and Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha.
He commended the players, coaches and management for their hard work, sacrifices and discipline throughout the season, noting that the trophy was the product of countless acts of determination and effort.
Mbah also praised Rangers General Manager, Amobi Ezeaku, for his leadership, resilience and commitment, saying the qualities required to build a successful football club were similar to those needed to build a successful state.
The governor assured the team of continued government support, stressing that sports remained a key component of his administration’s development agenda.
He also stated that renovation works at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, popularly known as “The Cathedral,” would be completed in time and to international standards for Rangers’ continental matches.
He added that Enugu State, under his leadership, would continue to invest heavily in sports infrastructure and development, noting that the state would host the 2026 National Sports Festival in a manner that would leave lasting marks in the sands of time.
Mbah, however, identified complacency as an enemy of success, urging the team not to rest on their laurels and well-deserved accolades.
“So, brace up, fight on, keep winning and ensure you bring the continental trophy home,” he concluded.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, thanked the governor for hosting the champions and for his sustained investment in sports development.
Ekweremadu described the league triumph as a testament to the governor’s commitment to excellence and service delivery across sectors.
The commissioner recalled that Enugu State emerged overall winner of the National Para Games in March with 55 medals comprising 40 gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals.
Responding, Ezeaku noted that success was built on discipline, preparation and ambition, drawing inspiration from renowned philosophers such as Aristotle, Seneca and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
He emphasised that the celebration extended beyond the lifting of a trophy and represented a celebration of leadership, vision and the power of unity among government, management, players and supporters.
The General Manager expressed profound gratitude to Governor Mbah for his unwavering support of the club, stating that Rangers had enjoyed one of its most successful periods in recent history under the governor’s administration.
According to him, Rangers has won two NPFL titles within three years of Governor Mbah’s tenure, a feat he described as remarkable in contemporary Nigerian football.
“This is credited to the governor’s commitment to sports development, youth empowerment and excellence, helping to restore the club’s competitive edge,” he said.
The club also highlighted the governor’s broader achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, technology and economic development, while stressing that his contribution to sports deserves equal recognition.
Reflecting on the club’s title-winning campaign, Ezeaku revealed that the journey was marked by intense competition, with rival clubs reportedly receiving promises of substantial incentives, including cash rewards, vehicles and landed properties.
“Despite these developments, the club maintained focus and confidence, believing that hard work and excellence would ultimately be rewarded.
“We remained resolute and focused throughout the season. Our confidence came from our belief in the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah and our conviction that sacrifice and excellence would not go unnoticed,” he stated.
Looking beyond domestic success, he declared Rangers’ intention to compete among Africa’s elite clubs and challenged stakeholders to support the club’s continental ambitions.
The general manager described Rangers as one of Africa’s historic football brands with the fan base, identity and pedigree to compete successfully at the highest level.
He expressed confidence that with strategic investment and continued government support, Rangers could one day lift the CAF Champions League trophy and bring continental glory back to Nigeria.
“Every great achievement begins as a dream. Today, we dream of Rangers defeating Africa’s biggest clubs and bringing the CAF Champions League trophy to Enugu,” the management said.
Meanwhile, Rangers FC and their fans had earlier celebrated their NPFL win at Okpara Square and paraded their trophy through the capital city with much jubilation and fanfare before retiring to Government House for the dinner reception and presentation of the trophy to the governor.
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