Osimhen vows to go a step better than Maradona, ready to make Napoli history
Like Diego Maradona did in the 1986/87 and 1989/89 seasons when he inspired Napoli to their first two Serie A titles, the Partenopei needed another player as inspirational and decisive as the Argentine to propel them to their third Scudetto.
In Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Napoli found the ‘new Maradona’ whose goals inspired them to a third title in 33 years after they won their last (1989/90).
Maradona scored 10 times and provided four assists in 29 games in the 1986/87 season to help Napoli secure their first ever Scudetto.
Three seasons later, the iconic Maradona netted 16 goals and bagged 10 assists in 28 appearances to single handedly hand the second Scudetto to Napoli.
Osimhen has however vowed to do more than help Napoli win their first Serie A title in 33 years. The 24 year old is determined to do what Maradona failed to do, that is to emerge as the Serie A top scorer.
Only two players in Napoli history have emerged as top scorer in a single Serie A season but none of the two was able to help the club win the Scudetto with their goals.
Edinson Cavani first did in 2012/2013 season when he scored 29 times but it was Juventus that edged Napoli to the title.
Then followed Gonzalo Higuaín in the 2015/2016 season but his 36 goals, the joint highest ever scored in a single Serie A season could only help Napoli to finish second behind Juventus again!.
Osimhen is on the way to making history not just as the first African to end a Serie A season as top scorer but also become the first Napoli player to win the Scudetto and the top scorer award the same season.
‘I’m staying focused. I’ll try to score as many goals as possible,’ the Nigerian said after netting the penalty that gave Napoli the 1-0 win over Fiorentina at the Diego Maradona stadium on Saturday.
If he succeds, he will join the likes of David Trezeguet (2001–02) for Juventus, Marco van Basten (1991–92) for AC Milan, Gianluca Vialli (1990–91) for Sampdoria, Aldo Serena (1988–89) for Inter Milan, Michel Platini (1983–84) for Juventus and a few others to win the Scudetto and the top scorer gong.
