Victor Osimhen injury blow: How long Nigeria striker will be out

Nigeria have suffered a major setback ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign after star striker Victor Osimhen was ruled out with a groin injury.

The Galatasaray forward picked up the injury during Friday’s 3-2 Turkish Super Lig victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, a match in which he had already made his mark by opening the scoring.

Osimhen lasted only 33 minutes before being withdrawn, immediately raising concerns over his availability for Nigeria’s upcoming international assignments.

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Galatasaray later confirmed that Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina were dealing with a “moderate to advanced level strain with bleeding in the right groin area.” The club added: “Their treatment is currently ongoing and they should return after the international break.”

The expected three-week recovery period means Osimhen will miss Nigeria’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifying matches against Madagascar on September 25 and Guinea-Bissau four days later. His absence comes at a difficult moment for the Super Eagles, who will be looking to start their qualification campaign strongly.

Osimhen’s importance to Nigeria

Few players carry as much responsibility for Nigeria’s attack as Osimhen. His pace, physical strength, movement inside the penalty area and ability to score with both feet and his head have made him one of Africa’s most dangerous forwards.

His numbers for Nigeria underline that importance. According to Opta’s player profile, Osimhen has made 45 senior appearances and scored 35 goals for the Super Eagles, alongside six assists.

His recent international form has been particularly impressive.

During the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Osimhen played a central role as Nigeria reached the latter stages. CAF highlighted his four goals during the tournament before the semi-final, while he also contributed assists and consistently created problems for opposing defenders.

Nigeria eventually finished third, with Osimhen named in CAF’s Team of the Tournament alongside fellow Super Eagles stars Ademola Lookman and Calvin Bassey.

His influence was also visible during Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign. In November 2025, Osimhen scored twice in extra time as Nigeria defeated Gabon 4-1 in the CAF World Cup play-off semi-final, turning a tense contest into a convincing victory.

Those performances explain why his latest injury is more than another name missing from Nigeria’s squad. The Super Eagles are losing their primary reference point in attack at the start of an important qualification journey.

Osimhen’s long injury history

Osimhen’s career has also been accompanied by several injury setbacks, making his latest groin problem another chapter in a familiar story.

His injury history includes thigh, muscle, ankle, hamstring, knee, back and forearm problems. He has also suffered concussions and a broken cheekbone during his career, according to Transfermarkt’s injury records.

One of his earlier groin problems came in September 2022, when he was sidelined with a groin injury. He subsequently suffered another thigh injury that year, keeping him out for several weeks.

The 2023-24 season was also disrupted by fitness problems, including muscular issues that forced him to miss matches at different stages of the campaign.

More recently, Osimhen missed matches because of an ankle injury in September 2025, followed by a hamstring strain in November and knee problems in February 2026.

He then suffered a forearm fracture in March, which kept him out for almost a month.

The pattern means Galatasaray and Nigeria will be cautious with his latest setback. While the Turkish club expects him back after the international break, his recovery will need to be carefully managed given his previous fitness problems.

Galatasaray also lose key striker

The injury is equally significant for Galatasaray, who have relied heavily on Osimhen since his arrival in Turkey.

Opta’s career statistics show the Nigerian striker has made 26 appearances and scored 21 goals for Galatasaray since his permanent move.

His 2025-26 campaign was particularly productive, with Osimhen scoring 15 league goals in 22 appearances. He also scored seven Champions League goals during that period.

His start to the current campaign had again demonstrated his value. Before the injury against Istanbul Basaksehir, Osimhen had already scored six goals in four league appearances during the 2026-27 season, according to Opta.

His absence will therefore affect both club and country.

Galatasaray are set to face Sporting in the Champions League, while domestic fixtures against Kocaelispor and Trabzonspor also come before the international break. Osimhen is expected to miss all three matches.

Nigeria, however, face an even more significant concern because their AFCON qualifying campaign begins during the same period.

Nigeria must find another solution

The Super Eagles now face the challenge of replacing a forward whose record suggests he cannot simply be replaced by one player.

Osimhen has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to change matches. During AFCON 2025, CAF noted that Nigeria had never lost an AFCON match in which he scored or assisted, underlining the connection between his individual output and the team’s results.

Nigeria do have attacking alternatives, including Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams, while other forwards can be called upon to shoulder greater responsibility.

The challenge will be maintaining the attacking intensity Osimhen provides.

His absence could force Nigeria coach Eric Chelle to alter his approach, either by using another central striker or relying on a more fluid front three.

Nigeria’s attacking options have already shown they can produce goals, but replacing Osimhen’s physical presence, movement and ability to occupy defenders will require a collective effort.

There is also a positive side to the situation. A three-week absence gives Osimhen a clear recovery window before the international break ends, meaning Nigeria will hope he returns to full fitness rather than being rushed back and risking a longer layoff.

His history makes patience particularly important.

Osimhen’s record speaks for itself: 35 international goals and a growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most influential modern forwards.

His performances at major tournaments have also strengthened his status among Nigeria supporters, making his absence one of the biggest talking points ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

The first test comes against Madagascar on September 25.

Nigeria will begin their qualification campaign without their biggest attacking weapon, leaving the Super Eagles with one urgent task — prove they can win without Victor Osimhen.