I come from Nigeria, I am one of the best — Osimhen fires back

Victor Osimhen has delivered a defiant message to his detractors after finally breaking his goalscoring drought in the UEFA Champions League.

The Nigerian international found the back of the net during Galatasaray's thrilling 4-2 away victory over LOSC Lille on Wednesday, October 21.

Following weeks of intense scrutiny regarding his attitude and poor form after returning from a groin injury, the striker used his post-match interview to reassert his status in world football.

Speaking to the media after the vital European win, the 27-year-old forward made it clear that external criticism does not affect his confidence.

He noted that enduring difficult spells is simply a reality for elite athletes. "No, I think most of the time it always happens like this. Not just me, so many players," Osimhen stated.

"I mean, I just try to do my best. Most of the time the game doesn't go how I want, not just for me but for the team. But this doesn't mean I'm nervous."

The former Napoli star then emphasised his unwavering self-belief, reminding his critics of his undeniable pedigree.

"I came from a place where I'm not scared of challenges. I face any team as I want to face them," he declared.

"And I play my ball as I know how to do. Nobody can tell me how to make these runs, how to play my ball, how to score my goals."

"I mean, this is the kind of thing that I do. It's the reason why I'm here, it's the reason why I'm one of the very best strikers in the world," he emphatically added.

Osimhen has faced backlash from Turkish media and pundits over his lack of coordination and alleged frustration with teammates during his recent scoreless run against Kasımpaşa, Barcelona, and Gençlerbirliği.

However, the forward insisted that those questioning his commitment simply do not understand his mentality.

"So for me, these things don't even get to me. The people that try to attach me into this conversation, they actually don't really know me because I care less about many of these talks; it doesn't even move me," he explained.

He concluded by stressing that the overall success of Galatasaray will always supersede his individual statistics.

"No, the club is bigger than any player. This is about a team, the collective effort of the team. I have too many things to actually worry about, not these types of talks," Osimhen summarised.

The striker's actions on the pitch certainly backed up his strong words off it. Returning to the Decathlon Arena, where he previously starred for Lille during the 2019/20 season, Osimhen delivered the knockout blow.

With Galatasaray fighting back from an early deficit caused by a Soriba Diaoune brace, the Turkish giants levelled the score through Yunus Akgün and Aleksey Batrakov before taking the lead via a Nabil Bentaleb own goal.

In the 61st minute, Osimhen stepped up to seal the 4-2 victory, capitalising on a crucial opportunity to officially end his three-match barren spell.

As Galatasaray prepare to face Fenerbahçe in a Süper Lig clash this weekend, their star striker appears to have rediscovered his lethal edge exactly when the club needs him the most.