Where does Osimhen rank among world's best strikers?
Published: February 06, 2023It is no longer news that Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen was on target on Sunday as Serie A leaders Napoli beat Spezia 3-0 to consolidate their position at the summit of the Serie A.
Osimhen scored Napoli's second and third goals of the match in the 68th and 73rd minutes.
One of Osimhen's attacking foils, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the first goal and assisted the Super Eagles star's second of the game.
The brace took the Nigeria's goal tally to 16 in the Serie A this season as the leading marksman in Italy's top-flight.
The Italian Serie A ranks as one of Europe's top five leagues and Osimhen's feat clearly shows that he is undoubtedly among the best strikers in the world.
Where exactly would Osimhen rank among the most lethal of them?
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema is the current Ballon d'Or holder. He is definitely ranked above Osimhen at the moment.
Other top-class strikers playing for some of the leading clubs in the world who are performing exceedingly well include: Erling Haaland, Lautaro Martinez, Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane.
On current form, Haaland is practically untouchable with 25 league goals in the Premier League. He was however unable to add to that number when City lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening.
Lewandowski has notched up 14 La Liga goals in 17 league games. He also fired blanks Sunday night as Barcelona beat Sevilla 3-0.
Lewandowski might have scored more goals but for a three-game suspension.
Lautaro Martinez grabbed his 12th goal for Inter Milan against City rivals, AC Milan Sunday night as well.
And in England, Kane attained the 200 club, and broke the Spurs' all-time goal record in all competitions held by Jimmy Greaves when he scored the only goal as Tottenham beat Man City 1-0 to further boost Arsenal's title aspirations.
The goal also means that Kane is 60 goals adrift of record holder, Alan Shearer at 260 goals.
These are the strikers that Osimhen is rubbing shoulders with.
That underlines his world class status that was hitherto debated by some sections of Nigerian football supporters.
On one side, some fans felt only Osimhen and Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi can lay claims to being in that elite category.
Ndidi however is facing his most difficult times as a Premier League player.
Some hard fans do not still see even Osimhen as being quite close to the aforementioned superstars.
There are many Nigerians who do not watch other European club football as evidenced by All Nigeria Soccer's interaction with a fan during the match between Spurs and Man City.
"I can't answer that question o (on the subject of who is better between Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane)."
"You watch the Serie A as a football journalist, and follow the team.For me, I don't watch the Serie A.
"I only see their teams on the Champions League," the young man, who is an Arsenal fan told All Nigeria Soccer.
The current form of the Nigerian would definitely put to rest that debate and duly place the Napoli man at the lofty heights expected of him.
The summer transfer window would be interesting. Most clubs would be keen to sign the prolific Nigerian.
Free-spending Chelsea and Manchester United are already mentioned in the conversation.
Osimhen's next target would almost be to surpass the 20-goal mark and further etch his name on the pantheon of the world's best strikers of this generation.
Izuchukwu Michael
Copyright ANS
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