Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has hailed late Tremendous Eagles legend Rashidi Yekini as Nigeria’s biggest striker ever, regardless of being on target to interrupt the previous Olympiakos ahead’s goalscoring report, PUNCH Sports activities Further reviews.
Osimhen, who lately equalled Segun Odegbami as Nigeria’s joint second-highest goalscorer with 23 targets after netting within the 1-1 draw towards Benin Republic final Thursday, nonetheless trails Yekini’s report of 37 targets in 62 appearances for the Eagles.
The 25-year-old, in a video lately posted on social media, insisted that surpassing Yekini’s report wouldn’t diminish the late striker’s legacy.
“No, no. I actually don’t care about this. I simply wish to do my job and attempt to win video games, rating targets, and supply plenty of assists for my group,” Osimhen mentioned.
“Then if I equal it, I equal it, if I surpass it, I surpass it, however that doesn’t take away the truth that Rashidi Yekini is the best striker the Tremendous Eagles have ever had. This report stood for a really, very very long time and it nonetheless stands, so I feel we must always give him his flowers and in addition rejoice him.”
Yekini, who wrote his identify in Nigerian soccer folklore by scoring the nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup objective, dominated African soccer throughout his prime, claiming the highest scorer award on the Africa Cup of Nations in consecutive tournaments – 1992 and 1994.
The late striker’s spectacular tally of 37 targets has stood for almost three a long time, highlighting the magnitude of his achievement and the problem dealing with Osimhen in his pursuit of the report.
Osimhen’s journey to probably breaking the report has seen him emerge as one among Africa’s most deadly strikers, with the vast majority of his 23 targets coming in AFCON qualification matches, demonstrating his significance to the nationwide group’s success.
The on-loan Napoli man had the chance to scale back the hole to Yekini’s report on Monday however couldn’t discover the web after approaching as a 77th-minute substitute in Nigeria’s shock 2-1 defeat to Rwanda in Uyo.
With probably extra video games forward in each the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, and with time on the younger striker’s facet, Osimhen has the chance to shut in on Yekini’s report.