Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has recounted how Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo became a key source of inspiration for him during his early days in the Italian Serie A.
Osimhen, who was named CAF Player of the Year in 2023, shared his admiration for Ronaldo in an interview with broadcaster Daddy Freeze, describing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as one of his football idols.
“I used to say to my friends, the day I play against Ronaldo, Messi, or Neymar – these are legends, people I love so much – I’m going to take a picture with them. I don’t care, even if we lose 10–0!” he said.
Osimhen had his moment when Napoli secured a 1–0 victory over Juventus in a Serie A clash. Following the match, he approached Ronaldo and asked to take a photo with him.
“I said to him, ‘Cris, I would like to take a picture with you.’ He said, ‘Yeah, come to the dressing room,’” Osimhen recounted.
However, when he arrived at the Juventus dressing room, Ronaldo was not there. Instead, legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon received him and enquired about his visit. Buffon then informed him that Ronaldo was in the gym.
“He told me Ronaldo was working out and asked me to sit with him. We talked for almost 30 minutes, and Ronaldo still wasn’t done. I waited for an hour, but he was still training,” Osimhen said.
The Nigerian striker expressed astonishment at Ronaldo’s commitment to post-match fitness, especially after having played a full 90 minutes.
“As soon as he finished, he went to the massage table and two physios started working on him. Look at the laps, they’re massive. The veins? You’d think he was 25 years old at the time,” he said.
When Ronaldo eventually emerged, he greeted Osimhen warmly and offered him a few words of support. “He said, ‘Great game, just keep on going,’ and I shook his hand,” Osimhen recalled.
He went on to praise Ronaldo’s character and language skills, noting, “He’s actually a great personality. He spoke English fluently.”
Ronaldo, who turned 40 in February 2025, continues to excel at the top level. He recently led Portugal to their third international title, scoring eight goals in the UEFA Nations League. Although he narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot to Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres, his influence on and off the pitch remains undiminished.