Nigeria international Victor Osimhen has shared a personal story from his early days with the Super Eagles, revealing how he was once turned away from a hotel room by a senior teammate during his first national team invitation in 2017 before being welcomed by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Osimhen disclosed this in a Twitch livestream with comedian Carter Efe on Saturday, reflecting on his humble beginnings with the national team.
The striker said he had gone to visit Iheanacho, who was then playing for Manchester City, to show respect and offer assistance, including carrying his boots. After receiving Iheanacho’s room number, he said he was stopped at the door by the forward’s roommate.
“When I came, I met Iheanacho. And I told him, ‘Ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ So he said I should come to his room, so he gave me his room number.
“As I got to his room — I don’t just want to mention the name — he had a roommate. As I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door and bounced me out of the room,” Osimhen recounted.
According to him, Iheanacho reacted angrily when he learned what had happened and immediately corrected the situation.
“Iheanacho showed up and was angry at him, saying, ‘You see that someone came to see me in my room and you are chasing him from my room.’ So Iheanacho took my hand and took me inside,” he said.
Osimhen is currently in Nigeria recovering from a broken arm sustained while playing for Galatasaray in a UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool F.C..
During the livestream, the 27-year-old also spoke about his long-held belief in hard work and self-confidence, insisting that he always believed he would succeed financially, even if football had not worked out.
“I get that belief in myself, even when I was in the trenches when it was tough. The way we had to hustle,” Osimhen said.
“There’s no legit work that you’ll call me for that you won’t meet me there around five in the morning, or four, or three. Wake me up, I’m going to hustle.
“Even if not through football, I will have money like mad. That’s the way I believe. That’s the way I believe in myself,” he added.
Osimhen also opened up on his relationship with Galatasaray, describing the Turkish club as more than just a team and saying his loan move there came at a difficult period in his career.
“Gala is more than a club for me. We’re meant to cross paths, me and that club,” he said.
“When you enter that club, you realize the way it treats players, the way they give their sweat for the badge. From other experiences, you see they deprive players of real love.”
He noted that the affection extended beyond the dressing room to fans across the world and even his own family.
“Even my daughter, they’re more inclined to that club than me,” he said, adding that the level of care and support he received was rare in professional football.
“Some players will go like 10 years of their career, 20 years, they will not get that kind of love,” Osimhen said.
