VICTOR Osimhen has spoken out about a number of issues as he recuperates from a thigh injury that will keep him out of action until late November.
The Nigeria and Napoli striker spoke with Mario Balotelli’s Twitch Channel, Vox to Box on TV Play, today and revealed his feelings about his stay at Napoli, Ballon d’Or ambitions, his preference between the American Major League Soccer and the Saudi Arabia Pro League, as well as why he will continue to wear his now trademark protective mask.
Osimhen refused to choose when he was asked who deserves the 2023 Ballon d’Or between Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. He was then asked if he had ambitions of winning the prestigious award.
“Ballon d’Or between Messi and Haaland ? They both deserve it… What if I aspire to win it? It would certainly be a goal, a dream for the future,” the 24-year-old said.
“If one day I could get closer to win it, that would be more than a dream come true for me,” the 24-year-old said.
“Just playing at this level is already amazing for me. If it comes, it comes.”
The Super Eagles star was heavily linked with a big money move to the Saudi Pro League in the summer but he apparently snubbed the offer.
He was asked during today’s session where he would prefer between the MLS, where Messi currently plays, and the Saudi Pro League, where an array of superstars have joined Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It’s a very good league (Saudi) and it’s taking in a lot of talent. If I had to choose between Saudi and MLS? I would choose MLS,” he said.
On Serie A, Osimhen said: ” It’s an excellent league, it’s taking in great talent. People don’t understand how difficult it is to play in Serie A. From a tactical and physical point of view it’s one of the most difficult leagues to play in.”
Osimhen has been wearing his now trademark protective mask since breaking his cheekbone and undergoing surgery following a collision in a Serie A encounter in November 2021.
He says he is now comfortable wearing it and does not plan to stop, although it is no longer technically necessary.
“The mask? I’ll wear it for a long time to come. It’s now part of me and has created a sort of brand,” Osimhen explained.
“I am so used to wearing it now that I think I always will. I risked a lot that time, now it has become a sort of trademark for me.”
Despite his current rocky relationship with Napoli, Osimhen insists he still loves the club and is happy playing for them.
“For now I feel very comfortable here: for me it’s a great emotion to always score, but at ‘Maradona’ it’s something special,” said.
“When I first came, I was chatting with Koulibaly, he told me about the city, the people and the stadiums. In my previous clubs, they don’t announce the names of the scorers, so it’s a whole different feeling to have 60,000 people screaming your name.
“When I scored my first goal, it was against Atalanta and during COVID, so not many fans there, but I still got goosebumps. I get the same feeling now, it goes through my veins, as it is really special.”
Comments are closed.