Former Nigeria international Victor Obinna Nsofor has looked back with fondness on his impactful time with West Ham United, describing it as one of the proudest phases of his career, Soccernet.ng reports.
Arriving at West Ham on loan from Inter Milan at the start of the 2010/11 season, Nsofor joined in search of more playing time.
His move followed a challenging stint at Inter, where competition was fierce, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the attack.
Nsofor quickly found his feet in England, registering eight goals and nine assists in 32 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers.
One of the standout moments of his season came on 30 November 2010, when Nsofor delivered four assists – and had a goal disallowed – in a stunning 4-0 League Cup victory over Manchester United.
His contributions were vital, propelling West Ham to their first League Cup semi-final in 20 years.
Reflecting on that remarkable match, Nsofor told the Washington Post as per the Punch:
“The moment I won’t forget is my mum and little sister seeing me play for West Ham. It was the game where I had four assists against Manchester United, and that’s one of the highlights of my career. That was my ‘I have arrived’ moment.
“I remember my teammates giving me a standing ovation in the dressing room.”
A month later, Nsofor produced another memorable performance, netting all three goals in a thrilling 3-2 FA Cup Fourth Round win over Nottingham Forest.
“Then I scored the hat-trick against Nottingham Forest and all my teammates signed the match ball, which I still have,” Nsofor recalled.
Despite Nsofor’s contributions, West Ham were relegated at the end of that season, and his loan deal was not made permanent. In June 2011, he signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow.
Nsofor, who earned 48 caps and scored 12 goals for the Super Eagles, was a key figure in Nigeria’s silver medal win at the 2008 Olympics and their bronze finish at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
