Victor Osimhen vows to spearhead Nigeria’s World Cup qualification surge

Nigeria international Victor Osimhen is committed to spearheading the Super Eagles return to the World Cup, having missed out in the 2022 edition.

The three-time African champions face a critical playoff clash against Gabon after missing out on automatic qualification to the global showpiece, to be staged in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

And Osimhen fresh off a strong performance for his club, Galatasaray, is determined to be the difference-maker.

Osimhen, the former African Footballer of the Year, was Nigeria’s most influential player during the initial World Cup qualifiers, scoring six goals, including a stunning hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Benin.

However, his absence from five key matches due to injuries severely hampered the Super Eagles, who managed only four points from a possible fifteen in those games, ultimately leading to a disappointing loss to the Cheetahs in Abidjan.

Now, having just netted his sixth goal of the season for Galatasaray in their 3-1 victory over Goztepe, the 26-year-old forward is focused on balancing his club duties with his fervent national team ambition.

“We have many goals as a club. We need to work hard and fight for these goals… I want to be in the World Cup with my country. I am giving my everything there too” he said.

“Next month is the World Cup playoffs. I will help my teammates with my goals, assists and everything.”

Nigeria secured their playoff spot as the fourth-best second-placed team. In a dramatic setup, the Super Eagles, who are the highest-ranked team in the playoffs, will face Gabon, who were the best second-placed team but are the lowest-ranked side among the playoff contenders.