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Claim: A user on the Thread app shared a claim that has gained traction, stating that Victor Osimhen will be wearing a mask for the rest of his football career.
Verdict: True. Victor Osimhen has confirmed that he will wear a mask for the rest of his career to protect his delicate face.
Full Text
Victor Osimhen is one of Nigeria’s current professional footballers. He is known for his swift skills as a striker, which have gained him recognition in the international football arena. One of Osimhen’s distinguishing features is the black face mask he wears while playing. Although this is not a style he chooses for fashion, many fans view it as a unique aspect of his persona.
A popular post about Osimhen was recently shared on Threads, generating significant engagement. The user @charlesbryson69 posted two images of the footballer, captioning it,
“I have to wear the mask for the rest of my career because I have screws that pass through my jaws and face. Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen finally revealed the reason why he always puts on a mask in games.”
The post, shared on Nov. 13, 2024, had 1.7 million views, 1,300 likes, 54 comments, 13 reposts, and eight shares when it was viewed on Nov. 18, 2024, at about 6 PM.
The comment section featured various opinions. User @aaronlynnn, for instance, stated,
“I did not know what the user said: ‘He doesn’t need to wear the mask; his doctor/surgeon came out and said that he doesn’t need to wear the mask, it’s just for his peace of mind when playing.”
Another user, @DrawyahNilknarf, added, “Lies, but he gets attention for it. No different from anyone else that bends the rules for attention.”
User @Abekepearl commented, “I don’t think it is necessary except that it is psychological.”
@Ms_leendah responded: “Wow, I thought it was some signature look he decided to have, though.”
And @amahausa1, replied:
“He wears a protective mask during games because of permanent screws in his jaw and face, which were likely inserted after a facial injury. The screws are there to stabilise the bones and allow him to play, but they also make his face more vulnerable to further injury. The mask serves as an added layer of protection for the screws and his facial structure, which could be at risk if hit again.”
Several other comments came from people who either believed the claim or disagreed.
Given the nature of the claim and its reactions, DUBAWA decided to confirm whether Victor Osimhen made any statement regarding this and if the claim is valid.
Verification
Using keywords from the claim, DUBAWA found a 9-minute clip of an interview with Victor Osimhen, where he was asked about his constant drive for football despite suffering multiple injuries.
While responding to the questions and recounting his experiences, he confirmed that he had a serious facial injury that caused his eyes to disconnect from their sockets. He mentioned that fusing them back required multiple surgeries.
In search of more detailed evidence regarding the claim, DUBAWA came across a report by Goal.com about how Victor Osimhen sustained his injury.
According to the article, the footballer suffered an eye socket injury while playing for Napoli in a Serie A match against Inter on Nov. 22, 2021. The injury necessitated surgery, and he was sidelined for three months due to this facial issue. The article also quoted his surgeon, Gianpaolo Tartaro, who stated that considering Osimhen’s health condition, he still needs to wear a protective face mask.
Tartaro explained that the orbital bone stopped just in time, preventing Osimhen from potentially losing his sight. He added that the bone could have led to irreparable problems, but several factors helped, allowing his eyes to be put back into the socket.
In a recent interview clip on Youtube and TikTok, DUBAWA found that Osimhen confirmed the incident, stating he must wear the face mask for the rest of his career. He explained that he had scheduled rews from his jaw up to the upper part of his eyelid, and not wearing the mask would be extremely dangerous for him. He also shared how he was hit in one of his matches, which caused him to bleed, and that wearing his protective mask helps him avoid such injuries in the future. Other reports on this can be found here, here, here, and here.
Conclusion
All evidence affirms that the claim is true; Victor Osimhen would be wearing a mask throughout his career because he had once suffered a serious facial injury.
