Former Nigerian midfielder, Etim Esin has revealed that Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen can surpass Rashidi Yekini’s goal scoring record in the senior national team.
Yekini, who represented the country for 14 years, scored 37 goals for the Eagles in 62 appearances to remain the country’s record goals scorer.
Since his retirement in 1998, no Eagles striker has been able to match the late Yekini’s goals record, with Segun Odegbami, a 1980 AFCON winner, in distant second with 23 goals, while former Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni is third with 21 goals.
However, having Osimhen 17 goals from 25 matches, Osimhen is already closing up with Yekini’s record and could potentially break his goal scoring record.
Speaking with Completesports.com on Monday, Esin stated that the Napoli star can erase Yekini’s goal scoring record in the Super Eagles.
“If he stays fit I think he can overhaul Yekini’s record. Besides, age is on his side and with the fact that he has already broken George Weah and Samuel Eto’o’s record in Serie A, I believe he can as well with the Super Eagles.
“Again, you have to consider the fact that players that surrounded Yekini then such as Amuneke, Finidi George, Okocha, Oliseh and others are talented players and they made Yekini’s goal scoring so easy.
“But for Osimhen, you will observe that when he comes to Nigeria he always struggle to score goals sometimes due to the caliber of players he’s surrounded with.
“But then if he can get that creative players that can deliver passes for him, I am confident he will beat Yekini’s record. Like you know, Osimhen’s is very good in the air, strong and can use both legs to score goals.”
By Augustine Akhilomen
12 Comments
There was one Rashid Yekini, no matter what happens there will never be anyone like him so please stop comparing, there is no comparison thank you and take care.
Yes o my BROTHER @RAZAQ OSIMHEN keep SCORING against CHEAP ASS TEAMS like SAO TOME, LESOTHO, SIERRA LEONE, CAPE VERDE but YEKINI SCORED for FUN against BIG TEAMS like CAMEROON, KENYA, EGYPT, SOUTH AFRICA, ALGERIA, IVORY COAST, BURKINA FASO, ZAMBIA etc yet they want to COMPARE. SMH….
Well no one can erase data and evidence. The way Osimhen is scoring he can surpass Yekini, whether against small teams or not, it does not matter,Wish i really want him to. Cause records are created to be broken. But no one can take the place of Yekini in my heart and i mean it, no one! I watched yekini scored great goals at the National stadium surulere lagos then in late 90’s against tough opponents like algeria, ivory coast, Zambia senegal,etc. Good luck to Osimhen!
It is how a record is broken that matters…
Yekini
Osimhen Will not just break Yekini’s Record He will more than likely Obliterate it.
With all this his method of selecting matches to feature in? Like the last nations cup where to me he intentionally stay out of it, yes he has the potential to even double Baba Yeko record.
Yekini, the great, the legend!!! There is a record that no one will be able to break again laye laye that Yekini had created for himself. You see that Nigeria first ever fifa world cup goal remains Yekini own and His own forever.
12.30am was a great night for Nigeria when Yekini put that goal into the net of the then very strong Bulgeria National team.
Osihme and his present crop of super eagles truly have a long way to go when you compare achievements for the country.
Osimhen would surely break Rasheed Yekini’s goal records before he quits SE.but be at is may, Yekini heroic exploits for Nigeria would remain unmerited by Osimhen.
Osimhen is going to be great for SE while Yekini would remain the greatest goal poacher for Nigeria. It is a pity that when Yekini was making football fans glad with fantastic goals Osimhen might probably not yet be on Earth or be a baby, he would have told people not to compare him with Rasheed Yeking.
When Rasheed Yeking was play there were more wicked and stubborn defenders than nowadays. I like Osimhen too because he is a fighter on the field and always dedicated on National duties.
You guys are just jealouse of osihmen, is 37 goal a record? eto score 56 goals for cameroun, drogba scored 65 goals for ivorycoast, salah already have over 50 goals for egypt even hassan hassan. Osihmen at 17 already have the highest goal scored in a FIFA under17 wcup, 10 goals record. if not for jealousy talk, which of the goal yekini scored against cameroun that gave us any trophy or qualified us ahead of cameroun in any major turneo? Yekini is a legend in our history, but osihmen is a better striker than yekini in the box, but yekini is better striker from outside the ball, the shot power and target is where yekini comes ahead, every other arms of attack osihmen have it more than our legend, they are worth to be compared, a guy just won seria A golden boot and currently been compared to drogba ronaldo and bartistuta, he can only not be compared to yekini” trabalists nacwa for una, the other time somepeople were comparing awoniyi to osihmen(funny trabalists) awoniyi is not ranked first 50 strikers of current world football stats, you want to forward him to a player ranked top 5 world striker. We are looking forward to a 100 national goal, you are here crying over 37 goals record, that osimen scored for napoli only in one season. Witchcraft.
Yekini is a legend no doubt, if not for abacha 1996 and 1998 scandal, baba would at list hit up to 45 goals for eagles. Nevertheless osihmen has beaten all african record in italy, 100 club goals already, his around play is just another George weah, he will do well better than yekini and it is a good thing for us as a football nation, its not an insult for a son to be better than his father.
Orban wiłl break records too, that guy is already been measured with jay jay, welcome to the revolution riggim
Beautiful reply! Oshimen will not only break yekini’s record, he will surpass it with a wide margin if he continues at this pace..
Oshimen is likely going to win the African caf award as the best player in Africa same way yekini won it in 93..
A son should be greater than his father and the same way George weah contributed oshimen for breaking his seriaA record that would have been the same way yekini would have felt if he was alive to see a budding oshimen aiming his record..
Oshimen and yekini are both Nigerians.. we should stop this tribal games we play in this country
Yekini had 62 appearances and came up with 37 Goals and you are calling out people that have over 100 appearances and over 50 goals.. apart from salah thou..
Just dey play…
@Collind id Are you suprised no mind those people it is the usuall mediocre minds who don’t see anythinbg but past. the normal Ighalo clamoures and Musa must remain in SE until he is 100 pushers. Are you suprised that they will be bragging about a mere 37 goals in international history, Yekini is a legend no doubt mainly because of his USA 1994 exploits, just like they won’t mind Musa playing until he is a 100 years old because of his 2 fluke goals against lowly Iceland. I say fluke because what have he achieved I mean what heroics have he achieved since then?. I mean the next game against Argentina in the same Russia ’18 he went missing like a headless chicken
It seems to this people and most Nigerians if you score in WC you are a Hero even if you have been redundent for 6 years since. So I don’t expect them to wish Osimhen well they want nothing good for Nigeria. Assholes all of them Especially that Brat @MONKEY POST.
Let me tell you Yekini is no match for Osimhen Nigeria have not seen a Striker like Osimhen since green eagles was founded in 1945. Period and as for Yekini mere 37 goal record Osimhen will Obliterate it Period!.
I mean Nigerians are only clearly mouth no braun calling yourself Giant of Africa yet you highest goal scorer is only on 37 goals god blesses you with a striker never seen before in your country who has the ability to take your national team to new heeights and you are here wishing that he does not beat a mere 37 goal record yet Portugal have a player with 122 goals. Na wa oo .
Infact all of you talking rubbish about Osimhen Holy ghost fire on You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!