Victor Osimhen has opened up about the horrifying injury that nearly ended his career — and could have cost him an eye — during Napoli’s Serie A clash with Inter Milan in 2021.
The Super Eagles striker, in an interview with Nigerian media personality Daddy Freeze, recalled the brutal collision with Inter defender Milan Škriniar that left him with multiple fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket.
“It was a game against Inter Milan at the San Siro,” Osimhen said. “My teammates crossed the ball, and I went for the header, but the defender came in with his own head and hit my face. All the bones in my face were broken.”
The 25‑year‑old said he lost consciousness briefly. “I was seeing blank until their goalkeeper touched me — that was when I knew I was alive. It was a near‑death injury.”
After roughly ten minutes on the pitch, Osimhen was taken to the hospital, where the gravity of the situation became apparent. “Initially, I didn’t know it was that bad. I asked the team doctor when I would play again. But after an X‑ray, the doctor came and said, ‘You have to have surgery immediately.’ I refused — I didn’t want anyone cutting my face,” Osimhen recalled.
“The doctor said no, the incision would be through my jaw, and I wouldn’t be able to eat normally for the rest of my life if I didn’t have the surgery,” he added.
Today, Osimhen plays with a protective mask, a precaution he admits he will wear for the rest of his career. “The doctor said it’s for my safety — if I get the same hit again, that’s it,” he said.
Reflecting on the experience, he added: “There are worse injuries in football, but I could have lost my eyes. That’s why I wear the mask, so I can still play, still head the ball, and keep doing what I love.”
