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Nsofor advises Osimhen to leave Galatasaray

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4 weeks ago

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Former Super Eagles forward Obinna Nsofor has urged Victor Osimhen to leave Galatasaray this summer, insisting that a move to a club capable of challenging for the UEFA Champions League is the only thing standing between the Nigerian striker and a place among Europe’s elite.

Nsofor, who represented Nigeria at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where the Super Eagles won silver, made his position clear while acknowledging the Turkish giants’ status as a major club.

“Victor Osimhen has done enough at Galatasaray. If he truly wants to become the best striker in the world, then he must move to a club that can compete seriously for the UEFA Champions League. Right now, the only thing separating him from the very top is winning at the highest level in Europe,” Nsofor said on Brila in quotes shared on X on Thursday.

“Galatasaray is a big club, nobody can deny that, but when you talk about clubs expected to win the UEFA Champions League, they are not among the favourites. Osimhen is already at the level where he should be competing with the very best strikers every single season.”

Osimhen, 27, has enjoyed a remarkable two-season spell at Galatasaray, scoring 59 goals in 74 appearances and helping the club win three trophies, including a fourth consecutive league title secured last weekend with a brace in a 4-2 win over Antalyaspor. This season alone, the Nigerian has registered 15 goals and five assists in 22 league appearances.

The striker first rose to prominence at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he led Nigeria to a fifth title and finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals, a record that still stands. He later shone at Lille before moving to Napoli, where he was instrumental in the club’s first Serie A title in 33 years during the 2022/23 season, finishing as top scorer and placing eighth in the Ballon d’Or.

See also  BUA Chairman to fulfil $500k Eagles pledge

Interest in Osimhen ahead of the summer window is considerable, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all linked with the forward.

Mourinho, currently in charge of Benfica, is reported to be in talks with Real Madrid ahead of a potential return. The Portuguese manager has previously compared Osimhen to Didier Drogba and faced him regularly during his time as AS Roma manager.

A move to Chelsea broke down in 2024, while Osimhen also rejected a lucrative Saudi Arabia offer before choosing Galatasaray. Now entering the prime years of his career, the expectation is that a return to one of Europe’s biggest leagues is imminent.

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World Cup 2026: ‘It’ll be difficult’ – Argentina coach, Scaloni speaks on winning trophy again

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18 hours ago

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June 11, 2026

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Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni, has acknowledged that defending the FIFA World Cup presents a significant challenge, as La Albiceleste are scheduled to commence their title defense against Algeria on June 17.

Just over three and a half years ago, Argentina was crowned world champions for the third time after triumphing over France in a penalty shootout in Qatar.

Since their victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Scaloni’s squad has suffered only four defeats in international friendlies, the 2024 Copa America, and the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

They have also secured victories in all five of their most recent matches, with their latest performance being a decisive 3-0 win against Iceland. Their impeccable record in the preparatory matches leading up to the 2026 World Cup has propelled them to the top of the latest FIFA rankings.

After the friendly match against Iceland, Scaloni remarked that winning a consecutive FIFA World Cup title is a formidable task, but he assured that his players will exert maximum effort on the field in North America.

He said, “It is quite challenging to claim that we will win the World Cup again, as it is very difficult; however, I can assure you that these players will give their all on the pitch. We will strive until the very end.”

In addition to Algeria, Argentina has been placed in Group J alongside Austria and Jordan. The three-time world champions aim to become the first team to secure back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1962.

According to Opta’s latest forecast, Argentina is currently the fourth favorite, with a 10.5% chance of winning the tournament.

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Messi scores on injury return as Argentina beat Iceland in World Cup warm-up

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2 days ago

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June 10, 2026

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Lionel Messi scored within minutes of making his return from an injury scare as Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 in their final World Cup warm-up in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday.

Messi started on the bench as the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is eased back to fitness after exiting Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia with muscle fatigue on May 24.

He was joined on the sidelines at the start by Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister as Lionel Scaloni named an experimental line-up in front of an 88,000-capacity crowd.

Messi is set to feature in his sixth World Cup and allayed fears he may not be ready for the start of the tournament in a supreme 20-minute cameo.

Argentina begin their defence of the World Cup against Algeria on June 16 before also facing Austria and Jordan in Group J.

Iceland should have taken the lead inside the first few minutes when Mikael Egill Ellertsson blasted over with the goal gaping.

Instead, the three-time world champions took an early lead.

Iceland could only partially clear a goalmouth scramble inside their box, and the ball broke to Strasbourg defender Valentin Barco to fire into the bottom corner.

Nico Paz failed to make the most of his chance to shine in Messi’s absence and wasted a big chance to make it 2-0 before half-time when his powerful hit was repelled by the face of Iceland goalkeeper Elias Olafsson.

Fernandez and Mac Allister were introduced among five Argentine changes at the break.

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Lautaro Martinez was another to make his entrance at half-time and twice hit the post when he should have doubled Argentina’s advantage.

The expectant crowd had to wait until the final quarter for Messi to make his appearance.

With his first involvement, Messi’s brilliant pass played in Martinez, who was wiped out by Olafsson as he chipped the ball wide.

Messi made no mistake by slotting in his 117th international goal on his 199th cap.

He was involved again for Argentina’s third goal as Messi’s pass fed Rodrigo De Paul, who squared for Thiago Almada to tap in.

AFP

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Somalian referee who was elected best in Africa denied entry to US for World Cup Duties

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3 days ago

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June 9, 2026

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World Cup referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States, just three days before the tournament is set to begin. The Somali official was poised to become the first-ever referee from his country to take charge of a match at a Fifa World Cup.

Artan, 34, was named the best African referee for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football and has previously officiated at the Africa Cup of Nations. He reportedly encountered difficulties securing a visa but benefited from support from the Somali embassy in Nairobi, which enabled him to obtain a diplomatic passport.

He travelled from Kenya through Turkey to Miami, after FIFA confirmed last week that his visa situation had been “fully resolved” and that he would be available to officiate at the tournament. Denied entry to the US, he has now returned to Istanbul.

The Somali is one of eight referees from CAF selected by FIFA to officiate at the World Cup. There are also eight from the AFC, nine from Concacaf, one from the OFC, 12 from Conmebol, and 15 from Uefa. Those from Uefa countries include Poland’s Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2022 World Cup final, as well as England’s Anthony Taylor and Michael Oliver. In total, 170 referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees will take charge of the record 104 matches across the three host nations.

It currently remains unclear what will happen if Artan is not permitted entry in time for the tournament. The Somali FA and FIFA have been contacted for comment.

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The US travel ban has already caused issues for some players expected to feature in the World Cup. Despite not qualifying for the tournament, Somalia features on the travel ban list. Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was initially barred from flying to the country due to travel issues related to a 2018 court ruling; he was convicted in 2023 of making multiple threats and handed a suspended fine. Those issues have since been resolved, and he has arrived in San Diego.

Iran have been forced to change their plans for the tournament and will now be based in Mexico. The squad will only be allowed into the US on matchdays and must leave on the same day.

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