Victor Osimhen Vows To Lead Galatasaray’s Charge In Champions League

04 Nov 2025, 14:43 by Ernest Victor · Naija News

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has declared that he is ready to help Galatasaray make a bold impression in the UEFA Champions League.

The 26-year-old, who previously starred for Lille and Napoli, sealed a permanent move to Galatasaray this summer after a remarkable loan spell last season that turned him into an instant fan favourite.

His arrival has added fresh hope to the Turkish side’s ambition of competing with Europe’s elite.

“It’s time to make a statement in the most prestigious games,” Victor Osimhen told UEFA.

“I spoke with the president when I arrived here, and we agreed that we want to make a statement in the Champions League,” Osimhen said.

“We’ve dominated the Turkish league for years, but now we want to show that we can compete among the best in Europe.”

The journey to this point has been anything but easy for Osimhen. From the streets of Olusosun in Lagos, where he sold sachet water as a child, to scoring in some of the biggest arenas in football, his story is one of self-belief.

“I came from a very poor background. Olusosun shaped me. It taught me resilience,” he recalled. “Whenever I go home, I visit to show gratitude and remind young kids that if I could make it out of there, they can too.”

That humility has earned him admiration beyond football. In Istanbul, he has become a symbol of passion and hard work, traits that mirror Galatasaray’s fighting spirit.

“When I arrived in Istanbul, I had never seen anything like that before, thousands of fans at the airport at 3 am,” he said. “It gives you that fire to give everything for the badge. I absolutely love this club and I’m ready to go through everything with them, the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Osimhen’s path continues to echo that of his football idol, Didier Drogba, who also left an indelible mark at Galatasaray.

“In football, my hero was Drogba. I watched him and learned from how he played and lived. I tried to add his qualities to my own game,” he said. “In life, my biggest inspiration was my brother; he taught me how to hustle and never give up.”

Now at the heart of Galatasaray’s European mission, Osimhen believes the club has what it takes to restore Turkish football’s pride on the continental stage.

“We are the biggest club in Turkey, and one of the biggest in the world,” he said. “Now, we want to prove it in the Champions League.”