Victor Osimhen's name and jersey caused a bit of controversy in Samsun this week but effort has now been made to correct the incident, Soccernet.ng reports.
Former FC Porto striker Marius Mouandilmadji has apologised to Samsunspor supporters after upsetting many of them by wearing a Galatasaray jersey with Osimhen's name during a training session.
The Chad international, who has been with Samsunspor since 2023, wore the yellow-and-red shirt while doing individual pre-season training. He later shared photos and videos of the session on his personal social media accounts.
The jersey belonged to Osimhen, the Nigerian striker who has become easily the biggest star in the Turkish Süper Lig since joining Galatasaray. Mouandilmadji is known to admire Atletico Madrid-linked Osimhen and has a friendly relationship with the Super Eagles forward.
However, many Samsunspor fans were not pleased. They felt it was wrong for one of their own players to wear the shirt of a direct league rival, especially during the build-up to a new season. Supporters flooded social media with negative comments, saying the act showed a lack of respect for their club and its colours.
Mouandilmadji explains his Osimhen decision
After seeing the reaction from supporters, the 28-year-old quickly released a public statement to calm the situation and apologise.
He explained that he was simply wearing the shirt of a friend and never intended to show support for Galatasaray over Samsunspor.
“I apologize to the Samsun community for misinterpreting the image circulating on social media; my intention was not to cause harm, but this is a jersey that I swapped with a friend I wear for my individual training. I apologize because it was not my intention to hurt anyone. On the field, I have always given my all, and I will continue to give my all for my club Samsunspor,” Mouandilmadji said.
The incident is not the first time Osimhen's jersey has caused debate in Turkish football. Earlier in the year, Göztepe midfielder Junior Olaitan also had to apologise to his club's supporters after exchanging shirts with the Nigerian striker following a league match. Many fans believed accepting the jersey of a player from a fierce rival went against the traditions of their club.
Osimhen is arguably the most admired footballer in Turkey because of his performances for Galatasaray, but the latest episode shows how intense rivalries in the Süper Lig can be.
The Super Eagles striker is the most valuable footballer in the history of the Turkish league. And he confirmed that status by helping Galatasaray clinch the Super Lig title in each of his first two seasons in Istanbul.
