Victor Osimhen Explains Why Chelsea Legend Didier Drogba Is His Football Hero
- Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has explained why he idolises Chelsea and Ivorian legend Didier Drogba
- The Galatasaray forward has stated in multiple interviews that he looked up to the former Chelsea striker
- Drogba is one of the greatest African strikers of all time and an inspiration to many generations of strikers
Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has opened up on why Chelsea legend Didier Drogba was the striker he looked up to during his childhood days.
Osimhen is highly regarded for being the closest striker to Ivorian legend Drogba for his sheer strength, work rate, heading abilities and mentality.
Source: Getty Images
The Nigerian forward has expressed his love for Drogba on multiple occasions and admitted that he drew inspiration from the two-time African Footballer of the Year.
Many fans have claimed that Osimhen is a Chelsea fan, but the striker remained tight-lipped about the club he supported, claiming it's for professional reasons.
Fans wanted Osimhen to follow in the footsteps of his idol and join Chelsea when he wanted to leave Napoli, but he joined Galatasaray, another club Drogba played for.
Osimhen explains why Drogba is his idol
It is no secret Osimhen idolises Didier Drogba, and the Nigerian forward has now opened up on why he chose the Chelsea legend as his role model.
He stated this during an interview with UEFA TV, while talking about the people who shaped his life, including his older brother, who instilled fighting spirit in him.
"For me, it’s my brother in life and then, in football, it’s Didier Drogba. In the footballing aspect, it was Drogba because I saw him and I tried to model my game after his, and I tried to see how he plays, and how he’s living life outside of football," he said.
"So, I have to be grateful for that man because for all I am now, I think I attribute some of my successes to him."
He added that he looked at those qualities that made Drogba one of the most sought-after strikers in the world during his time, and he built his game around them.
Indeed, it worked out for him as most top European clubs were after his signature in the summers of 2023 and 2024, as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Getty Images
Osimhen, during a 2020 interview with Napoli’s YouTube channel, admitted that he had been playing similarly to Drogba before he knew him and watching him helped him get better.
Drogba won the African Footballer of the Year award in 2006 and 2009 and was one of the goals Osimhen set for himself in 2020, which he achieved in 2023.
The Galatasaray forward is a nominee for the 2025 CAF Men's Player of the Year award and could potentially win his second award, equalling his idol's record.
Drogba attended Osimhen's unveiling
Legit.ng previously reported that Drogba attended Osimhen's unveiling ceremony as a new Galatasaray player in Istanbul after he made his loan move permanent.
Drogba spent the 2013/14 season at Galatasaray and won all three domestic trophies, and is always welcome at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex.
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Source: Legit.ng
