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Rabat – Victor Osimhen has spoken about the breakdown that ended his time at Napoli, saying the club went too far and left him feeling humiliated and isolated.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nigerian striker explained that the turning point came after Napoli posted a TikTok video mocking him for a missed penalty.
“After Napoli posted that video on TikTok, something broke forever,” he said, adding that the incident changed how he felt about the club.
The video, shared in September 2023, showed Osimhen appealing for a penalty with a squeaky, sped‑up voice dubbed over the footage, followed by his missed spot kick.
The video was quickly removed after Osimhen’s representatives called it offensive and even considered legal action.
But the fallout did not stop there. Osimhen said the online reaction became toxic, with racist insults directed at him. He also described how some fans came to his home demanding answers, forcing him to explain his side calmly.
‘I’m not a puppet.’
For Osimhen, the episode marked the end of his relationship with Napoli, closing a chapter that had once seen him celebrated as one of the club’s key players.
Then came the transfer tensions. Osimhen suggested there had been an understanding with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis about leaving in a future window, but he felt Napoli did not respect it.
“They treated me like a dog… I’m not a puppet,” he said. He portrayed the period as one where decisions were being made about his future without basic respect, as if he could simply be sent anywhere.
Osimhen was not just another player in Naples. He was central to Napoli’s 2022-23 title win, finishing as Serie A’s top scorer with 26 goals and becoming one of the club’s defining figures of that era.
But by late summer 2024, the situation had collapsed. Reports said that Napoli even left him out of their Serie A squad registration amid transfer uncertainty. Soon after, he joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan, ending the standoff for the time being.
Now at Galatasaray, Osimhen says his comments are an effort to reclaim his story. He explained that he stayed silent for a long time out of respect for supporters, but the way things ended at Napoli forced him to speak.
