I can’t believe this - Fans question as Osimhen plays mask-free for first time in Years

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen surprised football fans after stepping onto the pitch without his trademark protective face mask for the first time in years.

This has raised questions and reactions across social media.

Osimhen has been synonymous with the black protective mask since suffering a serious facial injury during his time at Napoli.

The mask became an unmistakable part of his identity.

During Nigeria’s round of 16 clash with Mozambique, fans quickly noticed something unusual: Osimhen was playing mask-free.

The unexpected change immediately sparked conversations online, with many expressing shock that the striker had finally abandoned the protective gear.

The moment gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), where football content creator Adika (@Adikastakes) highlighted the coincidence that some bettors had predicted the mask’s disappearance.

“I saw guys betting that Osimhen will remove his mask today on Gowagr and for the first time in years Osimhen plays a match without his mask. I can’t believe this,” Adika wrote, accompanied by laughing and crying emojis.