Super Eagles ace Victor Osimhen earned immense praise from Portugal’s head coach.
Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has ranked Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland as the two strongest forwards inside the penalty box right now.
Jesus made the remarks ahead of Portugal’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League victory over Norway at the Ullevaal Stadium on September 27, a match where Haaland registered the hosts’ solitary goal in the 51st minute.
When discussing Haaland’s profile, the Portuguese tactician used the opportunity to elevate Osimhen to the same bracket.
“Haaland is the most physically and technically powerful player inside the box,” Jesus said, per NTVSpor. “Outside the area, he isn’t quite as dominant, even though he is fast. But inside the box, for me, he and Osimhen are the strongest.”
After the final whistle, Jesus told reporters that his defence had limited Haaland’s clear chances, noting that the striker had six shots inside the box and scored from just one.
Placing the 27-year-old Nigerian, who secured the 2022/23 Serie A title during his four-year tenure at Napoli, alongside the prolific Norwegian underscores the immense respect Jesus holds for Osimhen’s physical dominance.
The forward has built a formidable reputation for terrorising European defensive lines through a potent combination of raw strength, blistering pace, and unrelenting tenacity.
Jesus has direct history with the Nigerian international.
During the summer of 2023, while Jesus was managing Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, the Riyadh-based club made a concerted, well publicised effort to sign Osimhen from Napoli.
Al Hilal reportedly tabled a €140 million offer, with wages in the region of £1 million a week on the table for the striker.
Despite the overwhelming financial incentives, Osimhen resisted the interest from the Gulf state, later saying the offers kept growing with each refusal before he decided to stay for the good of his career.
The striker prioritised remaining in European football, joining Galatasaray on loan in 2024. Galatasaray made the move permanent on July 31, 2025, in a €75 million deal that set a Turkish transfer record, tying him to a four-year contract.
Al Hilal returned for him that same summer, by then under Simone Inzaghi, and agreed to pay the full €75 million release clause, but Osimhen rejected the move again, reportedly turning down a salary offer of up to €40 million a year.