Europe is witnessing the most ruthless version of Victor Osimhen. The Galatasaray striker leads the UEFA Champions League scoring charts with six goals, ahead of names like Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Marcus Rashford, all sitting on five.
In any other year, this type of form would set the stage for the biggest spotlight of all: a World Cup.
This time, fate turned its back. Nigeria’s elimination means the leading scorer of Europe’s toughest competition will not be at the 2026 World Cup.

A Crushing Blow For Nigeria… And For Osimhen Himself

Nigeria fell in the continental playoff against DR Congo, a tie defined by tension, exhaustion and a dramatic penalty shootout that buried the Super Eagles’ World Cup hopes.
Osimhen —the unquestioned leader of the team— arrived at the camp in peak shape, ready to guide his country to the biggest tournament on the planet. Instead, he walks away from the cycle without the chance to play the one tournament that shapes legacies.

Nigeria had already missed Qatar 2022, but the 2026 failure hits harder. It comes at the exact moment when Osimhen is at the height of his powers, competing head-to-head with the greatest strikers in world football.

The Harshest Contrast: King Of Europe, Absent In America

While Osimhen destroys defenses in Europe’s elite competition, his national team will not be present in the World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The paradox couldn’t be more brutal:

• The top scorer of the most demanding club tournament in the world.
• The absolute reference point of Galatasaray.
• One of the most feared strikers on the planet.
• Missing the World Cup in the most important year of his career.

For legendary forwards —from Ronaldo Nazário to Kane and Mbappé— the World Cup is the ultimate theatre where greatness becomes myth.
Osimhen will have to wait, knowing 2026 could have been his moment to take over the world stage.