By
Arinze Izik
Victor Osimhen turned down the chance to captain Galatasaray during their 3-3 pre-season draw with Rennes at RAMS Park on Monday.
The Super Eagles forward was on target for the Turkish champions. He opened the scoring with a powerful header after Gabriel Sara delivered a precise corner into the box.
Drama unfolded late in the game when skipper Abdülkerim Bardakcı was withdrawn in the 74th minute. As he left the pitch, Bardakcı handed the armband to Osimhen, signaling he wanted the Nigerian to lead the side for the final minutes.
Osimhen however refused. Instead of putting it on, he passed it straight to Yunus Akgün and urged the winger to take charge.
The gesture caught Akgün off guard. He tried to persuade Osimhen to accept the responsibility, but the ex-African Footballer of the Year stood firm and insisted Akgün wear it.
The moment comes after Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk hinted earlier that Osimhen would be part of the club’s leadership group this season following Mauro Icardi’s exit.
Despite declining the armband on the day, Osimhen’s action shows he’s already commanding respect in the dressing room, even if he prefers to lead by example rather than with the captain’s band.
