There were some emotional scenes before Galatasaray’s 1-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday night.
Victor Osimhen was brought to tears ahead of the famous Champions League victory, and for very good reason.
Fans unfurled a tifo with the striker walking into the distance with his family and his mother looking down upon them.
A message below read: “We are family and family is everything.”
Later commenting on the tribute, Osimhen said: “It was emotional for me, and I struggled to hold back the tears. This display of love from the Galatasaray fans is something I will never forget.
“From the first day I arrived here, you welcomed me with so much love and respect. Not just me, but also my family and the people around me.
“Moments like these remind me that football is so much bigger than just the game itself. It’s about love, loyalty, and unity.
“I promise to keep fighting for the logo, this club, and these amazing fans with everything I have, every time I step onto this pitch.”
Osimhen’s emotional origins
Just a month ago Osimhen sat down with the brilliant Players Tribune where he talked through his humble start to life.
In the piece he remembered the loss of his mother at a young age, and how sad he still is that she never saw his success.
“My mother, Christiana, died in 2001 when I was only 2 or 3 years old,” he wrote.
“I was too young to remember much, except the feeling of her holding me. My older brother told me that my mother fell asleep and never woke up.
“After her death, life became very difficult for our family, especially when my father lost his job.
“I lived with my six brothers and sisters in a small house in Olusosun, a slum in the Nigerian capital, Lagos.
“Football became the only way for me and my family to escape poverty. To this day, my mother’s death still pains me deeply.
“She didn’t live long enough to enjoy the things she sacrificed so much for.
“Sometimes I wish she could see how far we’ve come. I know she would be proud.”
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