Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has declared himself available for the country’s national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations which will commence on January 9, 2022, in Cameroon.
The 22-year-old Napoli striker sustained a fractured eye socket and cheekbone on November 21, 2021, during a Seria A game between his club and Inter Milan.
During the league game which ended 3-2 in favor of Inter Milan, the 22-year-old Nigerian striker was involved in a clash of heads with Inter Milan‘s Skriniar.
The striker had to be taken to the hospital where he was operated upon. Afterward, it was announced that it might take him at least three months to fully recover.
Fortunately for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Victor Osimhen healed faster than expected and has started individual training with a mask based on images on his Instagram page.
But doctors in Napoli are still insisting that the footballer needs at least 90 days to fully heal before he could return to contact training.
Contrary to the doctors’ advice, Osimhen took to his verified Twitter page to announce that he is 100 percent available for the Super Eagles of Nigeria which is a great boost for the team ahead of AFCON.
“I will be available for AFCON unless if am not among the players picked to represent NIGERIA”, The footballer tweeted on Tuesday, December 21.
I will be available for AFCON💯unless if am not among the players picked to represent NIGERIA.
— victor osimhen (@victorosimhen9) December 21, 2021
Based on form, Osimhen is the best striker in Nigeria’s squad. The 22-year-old fast-rising football star has scored 10 goals in 18 appearances for Nigeria’s national team.
He is doing all he could to play in the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations and he could do that with a specially built mask.
However, Napoli’s doctor Roberto Ruggiero who led the team that designed the mask for Osimhen said the footballer has not fully healed to participate in any competitive game.
The doctor urged the Super Eagles striker to allow his wounds to heal before he returns to football even if it would force him to miss AFCON.
“Osimhen is fine, highly motivated: if it depended on him, he would be on the pitch already today”, the doctor said. “Now Canon will decide when to make him join the team; then there are the times of calcification and healing.
“In my experience, when could he come back? It takes technical times to heal, usually 90 days. You need to have time for ossification. Let’s say we are half done now.”
Now that Osimhen has gone against the doctor’s advice to declare himself available for Africa’s biggest football tournament, it is left to see whether Nigeria’s coach Augustine Eguavoen would invite him for AFCON.
