Osimhen: Ex-Super Eagles Player ‘Bounced’ Me From Iheanacho’s Room In 2017

Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has opened up about a humbling experience during his first national team call-up in 2017, recalling how a senior Nigerian international turned him away from a hotel room only for Kelechi Iheanacho to intervene and welcome him inside.

Osimhen shared the story during a Twitch livestream with comedian Carter Efe in the early hours of Saturday, speaking from Nigeria, where he is currently recovering from a broken arm sustained in Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool.

The former Lille forward explained that he had gone to Iheanacho’s hotel room to pay his respects to the then-Manchester City striker, but was stopped at the door by Iheanacho’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,” Osimhen recounted.

“So, as I got to his room,I don’t just want to mention the name he had a roommate. So, as I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door. So, he like bounced me out of the room.”

Osimhen declined to name the player, noting only that the individual was a prominent figure in Nigerian football at the time.

According to Osimhen, Iheanacho was angry when he learned what had happened.

“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.”

The incident took place in 2017, the same year Osimhen earned his early caps for the Super Eagles before going on to establish himself as one of Africa’s top strikers.