Sports

FIFA honours Super Eagles star, Osimhen

Nigerian international Victor Osimhen has received yet another honour, this time from the world football body, FIFA.

The Punch reports that FIFA Director members associations, Gelson Fernandes announced the special honour for the Super Eagles striker.

This is coming after he was conferred with the National Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic OFR by former President Muhammadu Buhari

Osimhen emerged on the international scene in 2015 when his record 10 goals fired the Golden Eaglets to a fifth U-17 World Cup title in Chile.

The 24-year-old Napoli forward who scored 10 goals in seven matches broke the long-standing record of nine goals in a single tournament previously jointly held by Frenchman Florent Sinama Pongolle and Ivorian Souleymane Coulibaly.

That feat also earned him the 2015 CAF Youth Player of The Year prize.

Osimhen recently helped Napoli win the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years and also became the first African to win the Capocannoniere (Serie A Top Scorer Award).

The striker also broke a 14-year jinx of being the first player since Zlatan Ibrahimovic to win the Scudetto and the Capocannoniere same season.

To recognise his impressive rise to prominence, Fernandes presented him with a personalised ball and shift.

In a message to the Nigerian, the FIFA official said; “Victor Osimhen, you represent at the moment what football can do.

“From Lagos to Napoli where people love you, you have suffered, but your love for football and determination have guided you.

“Keep going, keep pushing. Africa needs examples and millions are watching and dreaming.”