Former Super Eagles striker Osaze Odemwingie says Victor Osimhen’s flashes of temper are becoming a pattern opponents can exploit, and wants him to find more composure on the pitch.
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Former Nigeria international Osaze Odemwingie has cautioned Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen over his repeated on-field flare-ups, arguing that his visible frustration is starting to become a tool defenders use against him.
Odemwingie’s comments came after Osimhen clashed with Villarreal defender Santiago Mourino during Galatasaray’s pre-season friendly at RAMS Park, a game the Turkish champions lost 2-1. Osimhen appeared to grow frustrated after Mourino used his body to block him from advancing into a dangerous area of the box.
A Recognisable Pattern
Speaking on Brila FM’s breakfast programme No Holds Barred, Odemwingie said he understood the reaction from a player’s perspective but admitted his first thought was disappointment, describing the pattern as happening more often than it should. He said defenders are increasingly aware that Osimhen is a serious goal threat and will look to unsettle him mentally rather than simply mark him.
The former West Brom and Stoke forward urged Osimhen to stay grounded as his profile in the game continues to grow, warning that a rising reputation can quietly affect a player’s temperament if left unchecked. He also cautioned against rushing to judgement on the Villarreal incident, noting that something may have been said in the buildup that outsiders are not aware of.
Part Of A Wider Conversation
The friendly clash is the latest in a string of heated moments involving Osimhen in recent seasons, spanning club and international football, and has renewed public debate in Nigeria about how the striker manages his emotions under pressure as his career enters a new chapter at Galatasaray.
📌 Did You Know?
- Galatasaray signed Victor Osimhen from Napoli for a fee in the region of 75 million euros in July 2025, making him the most expensive incoming transfer in Turkish football history.
- Osimhen initially joined Galatasaray on loan for the 2024/25 season before the move was made permanent, and he finished that campaign as the Super Lig’s top scorer with 26 league goals.
- He first shot to prominence at Napoli by helping the club win its first Serie A title in 33 years during the 2022/23 season, scoring 26 league goals in the process.
- Osimhen previously played for Wolfsburg, Charleroi and Lille in Europe before his big-money move to Napoli in 2020.
- He was born in Lagos State on 29 December 1998 and is the youngest of six siblings from a family with roots in Edo State.
- Osimhen has represented Nigeria at Under-17 and Under-23 level before establishing himself as a regular for the senior Super Eagles side.
- In 2023, Osimhen became the first Nigerian to finish in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or voting, the same year he was named African Footballer of the Year.
