Serie A wrote: "A new King crowned in Napoli."
The Partenopei’s eternal No. 10 is revered on numerous shrines, official or otherwise, and remembered for far more than breaking up the hegemony of the northern giants to inspire the southern underdogs to two Serie A titles and the UEFA club more than three decades ago.
The immense playmaker inspired the Gli Azzurri to rise above Juventus, Milan and Inter, with his unparalleled skills, a football genius, unlike anyone before or after. Yet the immeasurable feeling of excitement and hope that he brought to a phenomenally passionate Tifosi who had never imagined such success made him an adopted son for thousands of Neapolitans.
Osimhen scored 23 times in 23 matches in all competitions over that period, propelling Napoli to the brink of a historic Scudetto and becoming a bona fide fan idol even before he scored the goal that secured the title on Thursday.
Cakes, coffees and easter eggs began to be made in his honour while children around the city wear face masks similar to his own. Although Diego Armando Maradona remains unrivalled in the history of football and Napoli, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have done enough this season to near the Argentinean’s myth in Naples, writes Stephen Kasiewicz.
There is no escaping the image of Diego Maradona in the streets of Naples. From the narrow, winding alleyways of the Quartieri Spagnoli and beyond, the Argentinian legend is unavoidable, a patron saint of the city, elevated and deified to an almost unimaginable status.
Osimhen and summer signing Kvaratskhelia, 22, have struck up a devastating partnership this season which has been central to Napoli winning their first league crown since 1990 and fulfilling the dreams of a generation of supporters.
The 24-year-old has netted 22 times in 26 league appearances, three more than his nearest rival for this year’s ‘Capocannoniere’, or league top scorer, with five games remaining.
Injury on international duty has slowed down the Nigeria forward’s scoring rate but between returning from a thigh injury in mid-October and the most recent round of African Cup of Nations qualifiers last month he averaged a goal a game.
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