'He was 17' - Rohr reminds all he handed first Super Eagles call-up to hat-trick hero Osimhen

Benin's Cheetahs coach Gernot Rohr has reminded fans that he was the first to hand Victor Osimhen a call-up to the Super Eagles, recalling that the prolific striker was just 17 years old at the time.

After being written off by almost everyone last month, Nigeria have reignited their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the playoffs, following an emphatic 4–0 victory over Rohr's side in Uyo on Tuesday.

Osimhen was the standout performer, netting a sensational hat-trick, his third in national colours, to inspire the Super Eagles to a convincing win that lifted them to second place in the group standings with 17 points accumulated.

Barely four months shy of his 18th birthday, the 2015 Fifa U17 World Cup Golden Boot winner earned his first call-up to the Super Eagles' 23-man squad for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in September 2016.

However, the young striker did not make the final 18-man matchday squad as then-coach Rohr opted for more experienced forwards including Odion Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Brown Ideye, Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses.

Speaking to reporters at the post-match press conference, Rohr said: "They started with a goal in the third minute. I don't know whether it's offside or not. We had to build a new defence because of the yellow cards.

"We tried but when you have such a good player like Osimhen. I remember when I brought Osimhen in the team, he was 17, here in our first game against Tanzania, and he was already in our selection.

"so I'm very happy to see him like that, but I'm not happy he did it against me. But I hope he can do it in the playoffs for your country which I love.

"Today we are a little bit disappointed because the dream to go to the World Cup is finished."

Rohr admitted that the result was a painful one for the team and the nation as they had hoped to make history by reaching the World Cup for the first time.

"There was a big disappointment because we wanted to go to the World Cup with our country Benin for the first time in history. We could not; we had to win here.

"To win in Nigeria when Nigeria is also playing for the playoffs is something very difficult, especially if you miss two suspended players from the last game in Rwanda and three injured players we had from the September games.

"We don't have enough high-level players. We have some players who are playing in the fifth division in France, but I'm proud of my team.

"I'm proud because they did so well in these qualifiers for the World Cup, and we could hope until the last game today to go there.

"That's why I'm happy to be coach of this team. It's a young team still learning."

With his hat-trick against Benin, Osimhen now has 29 goals in 44 appearances for the Super Eagles. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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