Mikel Obi Applauds Osimhen, Calls Him Super Eagles’ “Big Boy”

Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel, has heaped praises on Victor Osimhen for his sensational hat-trick in Nigeria’s 4-0 win over Benin Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Osimhen delivered a standout performance at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, propelling Nigeria into the playoff stage and reigniting the nation’s hopes of making it to the global tournament.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel expressed deep admiration for the Napoli striker, describing him as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s qualification campaign.

“Our World Cup dream is still alive. I said before the two games that, despite all the negativity, corruption, and issues with the FA, we had to win against Lesotho and Benin Republic — and we did,” Mikel said. “Credit to the boys for getting the job done, especially the main man [Victor Osimhen]. Without that win, we wouldn’t even be talking about qualifying for the World Cup.”

Mikel also hailed Osimhen’s composure under pressure, calling him a true leader who rises to the occasion.

“Victor Osimhen has single-handedly kept us in the race. In a crucial game, he came up big with a hat-trick. When the pressure is on, the big players deliver — and that’s exactly what he did. He’s the big boy in that team right now, and everyone knows how important he is,” the former Chelsea midfielder added.