'Scored a hat-trick' - Mikel hails Osimhen for stepping up when Super Eagles needed him most

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has lavished praise on Victor Osimhen for his decisive contribution in Nigeria's 4–0 demolition of Republic of Benin's Cheetahs on October 14, a result that sealed the team's place in the playoff round of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.

Heading into the October internationals, the Super Eagles were under scrutiny, sitting third in their group with 11 points after drawing games they were widely expected to win.

But a change in the Confederation of African Football's qualification format, which saw points earned against bottom-placed teams erased to determine the best runners-up, unexpectedly handed the team a lifeline.

Eric Chelle's men seized the opportunity, beating Lesotho's Crocodiles on matchday nine.

Knowing that only a commanding victory in Uyo would secure a playoff berth, the Super Eagles turned to their talisman and he delivered when it mattered most.

Osimhen produced a masterclass performance, netting a sensational hat-trick to drag Nigeria over the line.

His goals not only inspired a resounding win but also ensured the Super Eagles advanced as the fourth-best second-placed team in the World Cup qualifiers.

Mikel applauded the former Napoli forward for his heroics in the win against Benin, describing him as the driving force behind the Super Eagles' qualification for the playoffs. 

"Our World Cup dream is still alive. I spoke about it before the two games. I said whatever is happening, whatever is going on with the FA, all the negativity, all the corruption and everything that is going on, those two games were must-win games, and we did that," Mikel said on The Obi One podcast.

The former Chelsea midfielder was full of admiration for Osimhen's performance, noting that his leadership and determination were evident throughout the match.

"Credit to the boys, they absolutely did that and of course the main man we've talked about so many times on this podcast.

"Absolutely brilliant. Yes, it was against Benin, people can say he scored a hat-trick but you still have to score this hat-trick, you still have to show up. It was our biggest game of the season.

Mikel went on to stress the importance of Osimhen's contribution, describing him as the player who kept Nigeria's World Cup hopes alive, and highlighted the difference he makes to the team's overall performance whenever he is on the pitch.

Mikel continued: "If we didn't win that game, we wouldn't be talking about trying to qualify for the World Cup.

"Victor Osimhen has singlehandedly kept us alive. One of the biggest games, he's come out and scored a hat-trick. You can see the intensity, passion, aggressiveness he shows.

"When the pressure is on, the big boys step up, and that's exactly what he has done. He's the big boy in that team right now, and we all needed him.

"The games that he didn't play and the amount of games that we won without him compared to the games we won with him in the team is incredible."

Statistics back Mikel's point as during the qualifiers, Nigeria managed just four points from a possible fifteen in matches Osimhen missed. 

In contrast, they collected an impressive 13 points from the same number of games with the 2023 African Footballer of the Year leading the line.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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