Victor Osimhen reveals he still suffers from nerve damage caused by his 2021 facial injury, explaining why he continues to wear a protective mask

Super Eagles and Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen has revealed the long-term effects of the Osimhen facial injury he sustained in 2021, saying lingering nerve damage still affects basic functions such as eating.

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Osimhen, 26, spoke in an interview with Turkish outlet Fanatik, excerpts of which were shared on X by user 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐆𝐑𝐍 on Tuesday.

The striker said that although he returned to the pitch months after undergoing extensive reconstructive surgery, the damage remains significant.

“Now, I only eat on the right side of my face,” Osimhen said. “I can’t eat through the other side. The left side doesn’t function properly anymore.”

The forward suffered multiple fractures, including to his cheekbone and eye socket, after a violent clash of heads with Inter Milan defender Milan Škriniar during a Serie A match in November 2021.

Surgeons inserted 18 screws and a titanium plate to rebuild the damaged area, and doctors initially feared his left eye was at risk.

Osimhen recalled waking up to the severity of the situation. “They took me to a hospital in Milan. The doctor said, ‘You need surgery.’ I refused at first. But it was the only way to continue playing football. I had no choice.”

Despite making a strong recovery, he said numbness, pain and restricted movement persist. “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.”

Now in top form at Galatasaray, where he has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 15 matches across competitions this season, Osimhen continues to wear the protective mask originally prescribed after surgery.

He said it remains necessary due to the lasting vulnerability of the affected area.

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The striker described his current season as enjoyable, but the mask remains a symbolic reminder of the brutal injury that changed his life and career.