Izuchukwu OkosiSuper Eagles striker Victor Osimhen on Sunday evening produced a masterful performance in the Super Eagles 6-0 romp over Sao Tome and Principe in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
The Napoli man scored thrice to reach the 20-goal mark in his international career, 17 goals short of the 37 scored by the legendary Rashidi Yekini.
Yekini, who scored Nigeria’s ever senior World Cup goal in the USA is still Nigeria’s all-time record scorer ahead of Segun Odegbami, another legend of the game who was a key player for Nigeria when they hosted and won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
Odegbami, who delved into football administration, media and marketing after his illustrious career scored 23 goals during his active years.
With the Super Eagles’ next assignment being the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on November 17 in Uyo, Osimhen could be in line to reach or even surpass the haul.
Prior to Sunday’s game, former Super Eagles strikers, Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche had scored 18 and 19 goals but Osimhen’s imperious form has seen him overtaken the duo.
Osimhen is now behind former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Everton striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who scored 21 goals albeit would be forever remembered by some sections of Nigerian supporters for failing to make it 22 goals after the near-post miss against South Korea in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Osimhen who has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon D’Or and the CAF 2023 African Footballer of The Year awards helped Napoli win the Italian Serie A for the first time in 33 years last season as he scored 26 league goals to win the top scorer’s prize.
Osimhen’s incredible goal numbers saw him surpass former Liberia striker George Weah as the African with the highest number of goals in the Italian League top-flight history.
Osimhen deservedly won MTN’s Most Valuable Player of the Match award on Sunday evening and pocketed the sum of N1 million naira, while Lookman was selected the Man of the Match and picked up a cheque for N1 million from Nigerian Breweries PLC.
Super Eagles all-time highest goalscorers
1. Rashidi Yekini (37 goals)
2. Segun Odegbami (23goals)
3. Yakubu Aiyegbeni (21 goals)
4. Victor Osimhen (20 goals)
5. Ikechukwu Uche (19 goals)
6. Obafemi Martins (18 goals)
7. Sunday Oyarekhua (17 goals)
8. Samson Siasia (16 goals)
9. Odion Ighalo (16 goals)
10. Ahmed Musa (16 goals)
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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