Super Eagles and Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen has opened up about the grim reality of living with the aftermath of a brutal facial injury he suffered back in 2021. This ongoing battle has led him to wear a protective mask, a stark reminder of the dangers athletes face on the field.

In a recent video that’s making waves on social media, Osimhen, 26, shared his harrowing story with Turkish outlet Fanatik, exposing the nerve damage that continues to plague his life even four years post-trauma. “Now, I only eat on the right side of my face,” he lamented. “I can’t eat through the other side. The left side doesn’t function properly anymore.” Can you believe it? An athlete at the top of his game struggling with something as mundane as eating!

The injury, which occurred during a Serie A match between Napoli and Inter Milan, involved a painful collision with Milan Škriniar, resulting in multiple fractures to Osimhen’s face. Imagine the horror: 18 screws and a titanium plate were needed to put him back together! Initially, doctors feared he might lose vision in his left eye, which would have been a catastrophic blow to his career. While he managed to return to the pitch, the scars,both visible and invisible,remain. He confesses, “I still feel numbness and sometimes pain. When I smile, only one side of my mouth moves fully.”

And let’s not forget the grim details of that fateful day! Osimhen recounted how he went up for a header, only to collide painfully with Škriniar's skull. “It wasn’t intentional, but I hit his skull and the bone shattered everywhere,” he recalled. The chaos that followed was nothing short of dramatic: rushed to a Milan hospital for emergency treatment, he initially refused surgery, but ultimately had no choice if he wanted to keep playing football.

Fast forward to today, Osimhen is making headlines once again, not only for his resilience but also for his impressive performance at Galatasaray, scoring 12 goals and dishing out five assists in just 15 matches. Yet, the mask he wears has transformed from a temporary fix into an enduring part of his identity on the field.

His journey is a stark reminder of the physical toll that sports can take on athletes. While many celebrate their triumphs, few understand the hidden struggles, like Osimhen's, lurking beneath the surface. This story encapsulates not just the triumph of the human spirit but also serves to highlight the ongoing issues faced by athletes and the importance of safety in sports.