Frank Onyeka has described Victor Osimhen as being “on another level” and believes opposition defenders at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be “scared” of the Nigerian striker, according to the BBC.
 
Onyeka and Osimhen are part of a Super Eagles squad out to make amends for their defeat in the final of the 2023 AFCON by hosts Cote d’Ivoire, a game in which both players started.
 
Osimhen, 26, found the target just once during that tournament, but now sits second in Nigeria’s all-time goal scoring list with 31 goals in 45 appearances, behind only the legendary Rashidi Yekini.
 
“He’s such an amazing player,” Onyeka told BBC Sport Africa when asked whether his team-mate’s reputation as one of the world’s best strikers brings a psychological advantage even before kick-off.
 
“He’s a guy who wants to fight for every single ball. For me, I think the defenders are scared of him. Victor is on another level.”
 
The Super Eagles only took four points from a possible 15 when Osimhen was absent during their ultimately unsuccessful 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. And the team also appeared to lose their way in their World Cup play-off against DR Congo when the Galatasaray frontman was forced off at half-time.

 “Missing Victor going into the second half, (it) changed a bit,” Onyeka admitted. “Even one of the players from Congo said the same. When Victor left, it gave the defenders a bit of rest, and then they could relax a bit.”
 
While Onyeka has played an important role for Nigeria over the last few years, the midfielder has struggled to break into the starting line-up at Brentford. He is yet to start a Premier League game this season under new manager Keith Andrews and spent the previous campaign on loan with Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
 
The 27-year-old says he worked on his mental preparation during his time in Germany, adopting mindfulness techniques.
 “It’s good because if you’re stressed, you just try to be calm and relaxed as much as possible,” he revealed. “I try to do that every day, but most times I do it before games, just to prepare myself.
 
“I do it in my room before I go to the stadium, and after the first half, I try to do a bit. I just focus on my breathing to make sure that I feel settled.”
 
While Onyeka played more minutes with Augsburg, he failed to find the target in 34 appearances in all competitions. But his goals were key to Nigeria’s bid to reach next year’s World Cup, scoring in the 91st minute against Benin to take his team into the play-offs, before also netting in the defeat to DR Congo.
 
“I’ve been looking to get goals into my profile,” he said. “During my time in Augsburg, it was something that I discussed a lot. I always want to go forward, and I want to score goals.
 
“It’s sad that we didn’t qualify for the next World Cup, with the talent that we have. It’s a motivation for us to go into AFCON and win it and bring it back home.”