'The most influential' - Osimhen names the biggest striker the Super Eagles has ever had 

Victor Osimhen reckons that the late Rashidi Yekini is the best striker the Super Eagles has ever produced. 

The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner - also famous for his career at Abiola Babes and Vitória Setúbal - is the leading scorer in the history of the Nigeria national team, mustering 37 goals in 62 matches before calling time on his international career after the 1998 World Cup in France. 

Statistically, Yekini left the Super Eagles as the best striker in their history - a record the likes of Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Ikechukwu Uche attempted to break without success. 

When he equalized in Nigeria's opening game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Osimhen took his total for the senior national team to twenty-one, sixteen less than Yekini's tally. 

Osimhen is hoping he can reach the same heights as Nigeria's most outstanding striker and admitted that he was inspired by the 1992 and 1994 Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot winner. 

When asked if he can be as good as Rashidi Yekini for the Super Eagles, Osimhen told the Guardian UK reporter, Osasu Obayiuwana: "Yekini is the most influential, the biggest striker that the Super Eagles has ever had. He inspired a lot of us that have come through the ranks.

"He inspired us to be the goal machine that he has been. He is the pacesetter and what he has done for the Super Eagles is unimaginable. I hope that I am able to reach there."

Osimhen would overtake Nigeria's second top scorer in history, Segun Odegbami in the national team's goalscoring charts if he scores a hat-trick against Guinea-Bissau this evening.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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