Osimhen: It’s dangerous to play without my mask | I have screws in my face

Victor Osimhen, Super Eagles striker, says it is “really dangerous” for him to play football without his protective face mask. 

In a chat with Brila FM on Tuesday, the 2023 African footballer of the year said he would have to wear the mask throughout the rest of his football career.

In November 2021, Osimhen suffered a nasty facial injury.

The 24-year-old suffered multiple facial fractures after a nasty clash of heads with Milan Skriniar in a Serie A encounter between Napoli and Inter Milan.

The collision left a side of his face swollen, and he was forced out of the game.

He underwent a surgery procedure where his face was patched up with titanium plates and screws and was out of action for three months.

Upon recovery, Osimhen was prescribed a protective mask before returning to the pitch.

Speaking on the complications of the injury, Osimhen said he still has screws in his face and jaw.

“I have to wear the mask for the rest of my football career…l still have screws in my jaw and face”. 😢 Victor Osimhen speaks on his VO9 mask.#afconwithbrila #AFCON2023 #brilanffpartners pic.twitter.com/Y0JJFpSzeo

— Sports Radio Brila FM (@Brilafm889) January 16, 2024

He added that sometimes blood leaks out of the spots after heavy collision even with the mask on.

“Yes, [I have to wear the mask for the rest of my career] because I have screws that actually pass through my jaws and face. Yes, [I still have them till now],” the Eagles striker said.

“The last match I played — against Cagliari — when I headed the ball, I had blood on my face, and the goalkeeper also hit my face, and there was blood that was even with the mask on.

“So it is really dangerous for me to play without using the mask, of course.”

The injury in 2021 ruled Osimhen out of the last edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

However, he was named in the Nigerian squad for the ongoing AFCON in Ivory Coast. He scored in the team’s 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

The Eagles will face Ivory Coast in their second game of the competition on Thursday.