Former Striker Emmanuel Adebayor Expresses Admiration for Victor Osimhen

In a recent revelation, former Arsenal and Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has shared his admiration for Napoli and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen. According to reports from Soccernet.ng, Adebayor developed a friendship with Osimhen during the latter’s time at Napoli, acting as a mentor and offering words of encouragement.

Osimhen, known for his standout performances for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and Lille in Ligue 1, gained Adebayor’s admiration as he played a pivotal role in Napoli’s historic Scudetto win in 2023. The Super Eagles star was honored as the Footballer of the Year at the CAF Awards in Morocco in December 2023.

In his acceptance speech at the CAF Awards, Osimhen acknowledged Adebayor among the players who played a crucial role in his success story. Adebayor, in response, expressed that Osimhen’s words touched him deeply, revealing that he got emotional, which is a rare occurrence for him.

Adebayor stated in an interview with the BBC, “To come on a bigger stage like the Caf awards, the Ballon d’Or of Africa, and mention my name, and thank me for the encouragement… to be honest with you, I got emotional.” He emphasized the impact of Osimhen’s recognition, stating that it was even more beautiful than when he won awards himself.

The former Togo captain commended Osimhen’s potential and expressed his belief that if Osimhen continues on his current trajectory, he will achieve more successes, including winning additional CAF awards in the future.

As Victor Osimhen heads into the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, where Nigeria is considered one of the favorites, eyes will be on him to potentially retain the Player of the Year award if he leads Nigeria to glory. The Super Eagles will kick off their Afcon campaign with a match against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, followed by further Group A games against Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau.

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