“No spice, no sugar” – South Africa goalscoring legend explains why Osimhen is the best African player

Former South Africa and FC Zurich striker, Thurston Shaun Bartlett, has revealed what set Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, apart as the best African player, Soccernet.ng reports.

Osimhen was instrumental in Nigeria’s 2-0 win against the Amavubi of Rwanda yesterday evening, scoring all the goals of the game as the Super Eagles rekindled the dreams of participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Galatasaray forward was subbed off with 13 minutes left on the clock, with Tolu Arokodare coming on in his place to make his Nigerian debut.

Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi in action for Nigeria against Rwanda. [Photo Credit/ X].

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Bartlett, who’s the second highest goal scorer on the Bafana Bafana all-time list, alongside Sudesh Singh, revealed Osimhen’s efficiency puts him head and shoulders above his contemporaries.

What Bartlett said about Osimhen

“He’s not about flair. For him, it’s about stats. It’s about scoring goals, being in the right position, and using your physicality. He can do it with his left foot and right, we’ve seen him score headers as well and I think that’s what it’s all about.

“You don’t need to have flair, just finish. His price can go up by twenty million just for that. No sugar, no spice, just finish,” the former Bafana Bafana striker said on punditry duties with Super Sports Football.

Osimhen during the AFCON 2023 final in Ivory Coast. [Photo Credit/ X].
Sudesh Singh, a South African coach, also lauded Osimhen’s ability to be in the right place at the right time.

“The other thing is his movement in the box. It’s just like he’s in the kitchen. His movement is very intelligent. How to move, the anticipation and the arrival in the box.”

Victor Osimhen during the 2025 AFCON qualifier match between Nigeria and Benin Republic at Godwill Akpabio Stadium on September 6, 2024 in Uyo, Nigeria. [Photo Credit/ Imago].
Osimhen, alongside his teammates can make the March International break a memorable one by defeating the Warriors of Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday.

This post was last modified on March 22, 2025 11:13 am

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria. With a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience. He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.

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