Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has stated he believes he has the quality to equal and even surpass the goals record of legendary Nigerian forward, Rashidi Yekini.
Yekini, who represented the country for 14 years, scored 37 goals for the Eagles in 62 appearances to remain the country’s record goals scorer, while Osimhen has 15 goals from 23 matches.
He was also part of the team that participated in the 1994 World Cup, where he netted Nigeria’s first-ever goal at the biggest football showpiece in a 3-0 win against Bulgaria.
Known for his scoring prowess, Yekini helped the Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia as tournament’s top scorer with five goals and was named best player of the competition.
Since his retirement in 1998, no Eagles striker has been able to match the late Yekini’s goals record, with Segun Odegbami, a 1980 AFCON winner, in distant second with 23 goals, while former Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni is third with 21 goals.
Former Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche sits fourth on the country’s scorers chart with 19 goals while Obafemi Martins completes the top five with 18 goals.
Despite being 22 goals short of the former Abiola Babes striker’s tally, Osimhen, whose four goals against São Tomé and Principé last month saw him occupy the 10th position on the country’s top scorers list, said he was confident that with hard work, he could overtake Yekini.
“I used to say before that it will be a big shoe to fill, but with the kind of quality that I possess, and the kind of determination that I’ve acquired in my career, I think I can actually break it or even surpass it,” Osimhen told Naijafootballers.
“But it won’t be easy and that won’t make me the greatest Nigerian striker ever. For me, we still have the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Odion Ighalo, Obafemi Martins and the rest of them, but now I believe it’s my time and it’s my turn and I think I can utilise it very well.”
On his ability to score with his head, the Napoli forward added, “I’ve been practicing a lot while growing up. Those that know me know I use my head to score more goals than I use my feet and the mask also gives me the confidence to go into any duel and score the headers. I think I will continue to improve as I keep using my head.”
