NAPLES, Italy – Victor Osimhen, the formidable striker for SSC Napoli, revealed his unusual pre-match ritual of listening to rap music for motivation.
The Super Eagles star finds inspiration in the beats and lyrics of renowned rapper Olamide, his favorite Nigerian artist, before stepping on the pitch.
In a recent interview with Pooja Media on Saturday, June 17, 2023, Osimhen revealed not just his affection for Olamide’s music but also his mindset going into each game.
“After lunch, during my spare time, like two or three hours before the final meeting to go to the stadium, I listen to Olamide’s rap [songs],” said Osimhen.
“There’s some kind of rap he has done in recent years that is really inspirational to me.”
He further explained that he holds Olamide in high esteem. “Olamide is my best musician in Nigeria. And I have this playlist that I use to go to listen to his songs,” he added.
But his pre-match playlist is not limited to Nigerian rap. As Osimhen boards the bus to the stadium, he listens to Nas and Damian Marley’s ‘Only the Strong Survive’, a song that encapsulates his mindset going into each game.
“When I listen to these songs, I always put in my head that I’m going to war. Everything I’m playing, I’m going to war, that I’m going there to die, or someone is going to die,” Osimhen said. “‘Only the Strong Survive’ means I want to win; I don’t want to lose.”
The warrior-like mentality that Osimhen projects has been evident in his performance on the field, where he consistently puts his heart and soul into every match.
The striker’s revelation of his pre-game ritual provides a glimpse into the psyche of an elite athlete, demonstrating the intensity, focus, and desire to win that sets top-level performers like Osimhen apart from the rest.
