Former Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar has ignited a social media firestorm with his controversial assessment of Nigerian superstar Victor Osimhen, claiming two other strikers are superior to the Galatasaray forward.
Aboubakar's Bold Comparison and AFCON Snub
The 33-year-old striker, who was omitted from Cameroon's squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, made the comments in an interview. Aboubakar, Cameroon's second all-time top scorer with 48 goals, also missed guiding the Indomitable Lions to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a play-off loss to DR Congo.
This is not the first time the former Porto and Besiktas star has faced national team exclusion, having also missed the 2019 AFCON under then-coach Clarence Seedorf due to fitness concerns.
"Osimhen Only Has Goals" - The Direct Critique
In his analysis, Aboubakar directly downplayed Osimhen's impact at his Turkish club, Galatasaray. According to reports, he rated Osimhen's current teammate Mauro Icardi and AS Roma's Tammy Abraham higher than the Nigerian.
"Mauro Icardi plays better football than Victor Osimhen. Osimhen only has goals. If you take away that, what else does he have?" Aboubakar stated. He further claimed, "Put Tammy Abraham in Galatasaray, he will score more goals."
These remarks come despite Osimhen's successful debut season at Galatasaray, where he won a domestic double and emerged as the Super Lig top goalscorer in the 2024/25 campaign.
Fans React: Jealousy, Bias, and Role of a Striker
The comments triggered immediate and widespread reactions from football fans, particularly Nigerians, on social media platforms.
One user, @iamscaz, connected Aboubakar's statement to his recent national team snub, saying, "I now understand why he was dropped by Cameroon."
Another fan, @YinkaTinuade, reminded Aboubakar of Osimhen's performance against Cameroon, referencing the 2023 AFCON where Osimhen dispossessed a Cameroonian defender to set up a goal for Ademola Lookman.
The core of Aboubakar's argument was heavily criticized. User @omorogiec questioned the logic: "Did I hear him say 'if you take his goals away'? Someone please tell Vincent Aboubakar that Osimhen is a striker, without goal scoring, there's no rating left." Similarly, @dreaaaaaams_ pointed out, "What is the role of a center forward if not to score goals?"
Many reactions pointed to perceived jealousy and a lack of media training from the Cameroonian veteran.
Meanwhile, Osimhen continues to be linked with a major move, as Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh recently confirmed genuine interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid, though he did not reveal his source. Osimhen's stock has remained high since his pivotal role in Napoli's Serie A title win in the 2022/23 season.
