Victor Osimhen hails the ‘electrifying’ Napoli supporters and looks to the future by admitting he will probably ‘cry’ when leaving the club.
The Nigeria international is widely expected to leave in the summer, as confirmed by President Aurelio De Laurentiis, who inserted a huge release clause into his contract at circa €120m.
Nonetheless, he has had a remarkable few years at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, as he became the first African player to be crowned Capocannoniere of Serie A on their way to the Scudetto last season.
He was asked to describe the Napoli fans during an interview with Betsson Sport.
“Extraordinary. For me it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve been in football for 6-7 years now and I say it in every interview when they ask me about Napoli fans.
“When I have to look for a word to describe them, I am speechless because they are absolutely electrifying, I have never seen anything like this that takes football so seriously the way fans support the team is truly unbelievable. I have played in other clubs, but the passion that the Neapolitans have for their club is out of this world.
“You can see it in the stadium, when we lose or when we win, everyone in the stadium is really electrifying, every player has goosebumps, not just Victor, and when we score it’s fantastic, the whole stadium turns upside down and starts celebrating.
“They are among the best fans in the world for how they support their team and how they live their everyday lives making sure the identity of this club is connected to them.”
Of course, the passion has not always been positive, because in recent weeks the fans have staged angry protests during matches at their dire form, going from Scudetto winners to struggling for European qualification.
Osimhen ready to cry leaving Napoli
“For me it’s a fantastic feeling, in some clubs it’s the history that creates the identity, in Naples it’s the fans who make the team what it is. The way they support the team and each player is truly incredible.
“Sometimes I understand why some legends of the past cried when they left Naples, because it is an extraordinary emotion to play in the stadium and hear your name shouted from the first minute to the 90th, supporting the team and cheering.”
Osimhen is referring to the famous Italian phrase, you see Naples and cry twice, once when arriving and the other when leaving.