Victor Osimhen has been named Footballer of the Year at Turkey’s 72nd Annual Milliyet Sports Awards, becoming the first Nigerian to receive the honour.
The ceremony was held at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena on Thursday, April 2nd. Often described as the “Oscars of sports” in Turkey, the award makes Osimhen only the fifth foreign player to win the accolade, joining former recipients Alex de Souza, Fernando Muslera, Enner Valencia, and Mauro Icardi.
Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that Osimhen was physically absent from the ceremony as he continues to recuperate from arm surgery following a fracture. His Galatasaray teammate Uğurcan Çakır accepted the award on his behalf.
Çakır, speaking at the ceremony, described Osimhen as a valuable footballer and good person, adding that he would be aiming to win the award himself the following year.
Osimhen, however, addressed the audience from a distance. Via a video message played at the ceremony, he expressed gratitude to Galatasaray, his fans, teammates, president, and coach, adding that he hoped to return soon.
The recognition is a direct reward for a dominant run of form. He delivered an exceptional league campaign last season, scoring 26 goals and providing four assists in 30 appearances for the Yellow and Reds, while also netting seven goals in the UEFA Europa League and five more in the Turkish Cup.
He fended off stiff competition from a world-class shortlist that included Real Madrid’s Arda Güler, Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and Juventus’s Kenan Yıldız to clinch the award.
