Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has drawn up a preliminary list of players who will make the final selection of the Nigeria U20 team for the U20 World Cup.
The coach steered his team to the tournament with a third placed finish at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations. Ahead of the World Cup, he is planning on improving the team in key areas particularly in attack.
Bosso has already extended invitation to some players for the tournament, which presently has no host following the decision of FIFA to strip Indonesia off the hosting right of the tournament over a row on the participation of Israel.
One of the players, who have been called up to beef up the attack of the team is Doma United forward Charles Chibuike popularly called Osimhen due to his striking resemblance to Napoli and Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen.
Three days ago , the forward scored his fourth goal in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with a bullet header to power his newly promoted side to a 2-1 win over Niger Tornadoes in Gombe.
Speaking on his resemblance with the Napoli star , Chibuike said he has been embarrassed by some people while making reference to his semblance with Osimhen, but he is however keen on reaching the same heights like the forward, who is already a senior international for Nigeria.
“It makes me happy that I have a striking resemblance with Osimhen. I didn’t notice it but when I arrived Kaduna, people asked if I was Osimhen. I always told them no. It got to an extent that when people saw me in the market or other public places, they would rush and start snapping pictures with me, including non-Nigerians”, he told Punch.
“I have some few embarrassing moments because of my resemblance to Osimhen. Sometimes guys will jokingly ask me to question my mum because of the resemblance and this makes me feel bad sometimes. Some have asked if my mother took in for Osimhen’s father, but I always let them know that my mother will not do such thing.
“Osimhen inspires me a lot; people say I play like him but the truth is I hardly watched him then. When I started, I challenged myself to work hard and play like him because he is a very good player, but I still believe I can do better”, he stated
Osas Mahawi
