Osimhen reveals what he told PSG boss on his debut

Osimhen and Christophe Galtier

Osimhen reveals what he told PSG boss on his debut

Faruq Ibrahim 16:54 - 09.04.2023

Osimhen recalls his time in the Ligue 1 in a recent interview with France Football.

Super Eagles ace Victor Osimhen has revealed what he told Christophe Galtier ahead of his debut for Lille. 

The 24-year-old striker joined Napoli from Lille in the summer of 2020, but initially joined the French club from Charleroi in 2019, signed by Luis Campos and Galtier who are now, both in Paris Saint-Germain. 

What Osimhen said

Osimhen was in conversation with France Football on a wide range of topics including his future, and his time in Ligue 1 with Lille when he recalled his debut with Les Dogues, and the promise he made to Galtier before his first league match under him. 

Osimhen and Christophe Galtier
Osimhen and Christophe Galtier

On his first day, the 56-year-old manager asked him how many he thought he would score on his debut, and he confidently responded that he would score twice.  

He said his first week on the Lille grounds went greatly, and over the course of his stay there he formed relationships with some of his teammates which he named.  

He was promised a meal by the club captain Jose Fonte if he followed through on his pledge of scoring twice on his debut, and in the game against Nantes, he scored the opener, and after an equaliser by the opposition, he grabbed an 80th-minute winner to complete his brace and seal maximum points for his team. 

“Ah, joining Lille… It was yet another step up. Christophe Galtier was the coach. On day one, he asked me how many goals I was going to score on my debut. I told him I was going to score two,” He said, per GFFN.

“He said to me: “Ah yes, you’re not kidding around!” Then the first week went really well, in the superb facilities at Luchin, with that French gang… (Jonathan) Ikoné, (Jonathan) Bamba, (Mike) Maignan. They created such a fantastic atmosphere, my God! (Laughs.) I felt like I had belonged to this team for weeks.

“ As I got out of the bus [ahead of the first game], (José) Fonte said to me: “If you really score two goals, I’ll take you to a restaurant.” I replied: “OK, captain!” He gave me an assist on the first goal, Nantes equalised, then I scored the winning goal in the 80th minute.

“It was such an adrenaline rush… I had never felt that in a big stadium before. And then, match after match, everything fell into place.”

Meanwhile, Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has praised his current coach, Luciano Spalletti, hailing him as a genius amidst Napoli’s incredible season

Osimhen is experiencing his best season in European football after scoring 25 goals in 29 games in all competitions in 2022/23.