Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen opens up on the impact of winning the 2023 CAF Player Of The Year (POTY) award; npflupdates.com reports.
Osimhen finished last season in the Italian Serie A as the highest goalscorer with 26 goals. Also, the Nigerian forward was voted and emerged as the best striker in the Italian Serie A for last season.
Following the outstanding performances, the former Olympique Lille forward shrugged off competition from Mohammed Salah and Achraf Hakim to win the CAF Player Of The Year (POTY).
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Speaking to the media in a recent interview, Osimhen revealed that it was a childhood dream come true for him to be able to win the covetous prize.
What Osimhen said about winning the CAF POTY
“I can’t lie, it was a childhood dream come true,” Osimhen said in an interview with Tutto Napoli and was quoted by PUNCH Nigeria.
“Every young African who aspires to become a footballer dreams of one day playing in the Champions League, the World Cup, the Nations Cup, winning the African player of the year, just like I did.
“Where I come from clearly it was a dream, it was something we said with my friends, because most of my friends are footballers. We all started together as children and we said, ‘Maybe one day we can win the Ballon d’Or’ or one day we will win best African Player of The Year.”
“When I was nominated, for me it was already a victory because where I come from I couldn’t think that Victor Osimhen would come in the top three or win and I won’t lie it was the best moment or at least one of the most important moments of my career to date and I’m very proud of how far I’ve come. And winning the African Player of the Year award was a great achievement for me.
In another story, Victor Osimhen talks high of Napoli fans, and Supporters. According to the 25-year-old, it’s always difficult finding the right adjective to explain the fans.
“Extraordinary. For me it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve been in football for 6-7 years now and I say it in every interview when they ask me about Napoli fans,” he told Betsson sports.
“When I have to look for a word to describe them, I am speechless because they are absolutely electrifying, I have never seen anything like this that takes football so seriously the way fans support the team is truly unbelievable. I have played in other clubs, but the passion that the Neapolitans have for their club is out of this world.
“You can see it in the stadium, when we lose or when we win, everyone in the stadium is really electrifying, every player has goosebumps, not just Victor, and when we score it’s fantastic, the whole stadium turns upside down and starts celebrating.
“They are among the best fans in the world for how they support their team and how they live their everyday lives making sure the identity of this club is connected to them.
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“For me it’s a fantastic feeling, in some clubs it’s the history that creates the identity, in Naples it’s the fans who make the team what it is. The way they support the team and each player is truly incredible.
“Sometimes I understand why some legends of the past cried when they left Naples, because it is an extraordinary emotion to play in the stadium and hear your name shouted from the first minute to the 90th, supporting the team and cheering.”
