Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has revealed the permanent effects of the horrific facial injury he suffered in 2021, saying the left side of his face no longer functions properly when he eats.
The 26-year-old spoke to Turkish outlet Fanatik, opening up about the long-term impact of the trauma.
“Now, I only eat on the right side of my face,” he said.
“I can’t eat through the other side. The left side doesn’t function properly anymore.”
Osimhen sustained multiple facial fractures in November 2021 during a Serie A match between Napoli and Inter Milan after a violent collision with defender Milan Škriniar.
The impact shattered his cheekbone and eye socket, requiring major reconstruction surgery with 18 screws and a titanium plate.
Doctors even feared he might lose vision in his left eye.
Though he made a remarkable return to football, Osimhen confirmed he still suffers from lasting nerve damage.
“I still feel numbness and sometimes pain,” he said.
“When I smile, only one side of my mouth moves fully.”
“Eating is the biggest daily reminder food falls out if I try to use the left side.”
Despite these challenges, the striker continues to play at an elite level.
Currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, Osimhen has scored 12 goals and provided 5 assists in 15 appearances this season.
The protective face mask he has worn since the injury once purely medical has become a permanent feature of his career.
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