In the picturesque Yeşilhisar district of Kayseri, nestled at the gateway to Cappadocia, one passionate Galatasaray supporter is paying tribute to Victor Osimhen in a unique and heartwarming way, Soccernet.ng reports.
Neslihan Demir, a 56-year-old farmer and mother of four, has captured the imagination of Galatasaray fans with her handmade “Osimhen doll” — a knitted figure in the likeness of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, complete with his signature protective mask.
Demir, who lives in the rural Yeşilova neighbourhood, is known locally for crafting traditional dolls, a hallmark of her Soğanlı village.
But her latest creation is anything but ordinary. Inspired by Osimhen’s electric performances and by his record-breaking season, Demir has spent a week crafting a detailed doll of the player as a special gift.
WATCH: Galatasaray fan-cum-farmer knits heart-warming gift for record-breaking Victor Osimhen
“I love Osimhen very much,” Demir said as per Buzz Spor.
“I worked for a week. I knitted it with four different colours of yarn. I also made his mask. I tried to do everything perfectly.”
A lifelong Galatasaray fan, Demir watches every match religiously and is convinced the club is on course for a historic season.
“I want to give this doll to Osimhen as a championship gift. We have had Osimhen for a year, I want him to stay. If the management raises money to buy him, I will support him too.”
Demir’s passion for dolls began in childhood, passed down by her mother in a time when toys were scarce.
“There were no toys in the past, we couldn’t buy them ready-made,” she said. “I used to knit dolls for my children, I used to make them out of cloth. I continue that tradition. I knit dolls for my grandchildren and give them as gifts to the children of my friends and relatives.”
Demir’s affection for Galatasaray extends to the club’s other stars too.
“Of course, I also love Barış Alper Yılmaz and Muslera,” she added.
Kayseri'de çiftçilikle uğraşan Neslihan Demir:
— Buzz Spor (@buzzspor) May 15, 2025
“Osimhen bir senedir bizde, kalmasını istiyorum. Onu almak için yönetim para toplarsa ben de destek çıkarım.
Galatasaray'ı çok seviyorum. Ailecek Galatasaraylıyız. Osimhen için bir bebek ördüm. Bir hafta uğraştım, 4 farklı renk… pic.twitter.com/ap3XpCldw0
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Her tribute comes in the wake of Osimhen’s sensational display in the Turkish Cup final, where he scored twice to help Galatasaray seal a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor.
In doing so, the 26-year-old striker made history — becoming the club’s all-time highest-scoring foreign player in a single season with 35 goals, surpassing Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 from the 2000-2001 season.
The Super Eagles striker also became the first foreign player to score a brace in a Turkish Cup final for Galatasaray.
Osimhen’s tally includes 24 goals in the Super Lig, six in the UEFA Europa League, and five in the Turkish Cup. His explosive pace, aerial dominance, and clinical finishing have made him the centrepiece of Galatasaray’s campaign.
Signed on loan from Napoli last summer, Osimhen has quickly endeared himself to the fans — and now, even inspired a knitted tribute in the heartlands of rural Turkey.
With the league title still up for grabs, Osimhen has a chance to carve his name even deeper into Galatasaray’s rich history — and perhaps meet a devoted farmer bearing a handcrafted gift.
