By Victor Kanayo
Inform Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has made the 2022/23 Serie A round 21 Team Of The Week, (TOTW) after spearheading attack for Napoli against Spezia at the weekend.
Incidentally, his compatriot Ademola Lookman, who plays for Atalanta was excluded.
The inform Napoli striker has been in a red hot form, as he leads Napoli’s title charge under Luciano Spalletti, topping the league table with 13 points clear of second placed Inter Milan, who are are on 43 points.
Osimhen who leads the goalscoring chart is closely followed by Lookman.
Ahead of the summer transfer window, the Super Eagles talisman has been subject to interests from host of European giants including, PSG, Manchester United, Chelsea but they do know that they have to break the bank for his signature, even as Napoli remain firm on thier decision to hold onto him.
The announcement of those who made TOTW came after Osimhen broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s four years record to become Serie A’s jump-king after a leap of 2.58 metres during Napoli’s impressive 3-0 win away to Spezia.
Osimhen achieved the incredible feat when he netted his first goal – Napoli’s second of the day – against the Little Eagles at the Stadio Alberto Picco.
The Nigeria international, has scored great headers during his career, but the goal against Spezia was truly extraordinary and could go down as a contender for the greatest headed goal in football history.
The 24-year-old produced a staggering 71cm leap and reached a height of 8.47ft (2.58m) – higher than the crossbar (8ft) – before heading past Spezia goalkeeper Bartłomiej Drągowski.
According to Corriere dello Sport (via Tutto Napoli), Osimhen, with that jump, climbed to a height of 2.58 metres – a mark typical of elite NBA stars.
In doing that, Osimhen set a new Italian Serie A record, rubbing off the previous 2.56 metres mark set by Ronaldo for Juventus against Sampdoria in 2019.
It is also a new personal career high for Osimhen, whose previous mark was at 2.52m set against Torino at the Diego Maradona Stadium last season.
The world record of 2.62m set by Ugandan defender Bevis Mugabi in the Scottish Championship in January 2021, however, remains intact.
