Victor Osimhen has made history by becoming the first African player to claim the prestigious Italian Serie A golden boot award, also known as the ‘Capocannoniere,’ surpassing Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez in this coveted individual achievement.

The Paolo Rossi Award, formerly referred to as the ‘Capocannoniere,’ is bestowed upon the top goal scorer of each season in the Italian Serie A.

Osimhen’s triumph marks the first time a Napoli player has won this accolade since Gonzalo Higuain achieved it during the 2015/16 season with his remarkable 36 league goals.

Osimhen secured the Serie A golden boot with one game remaining in the season, as Martinez failed to increase his tally of 21 goals and six assists following Inter’s final match against Torino, which ended in a 1-0 victory on Saturday.

The Nigeria international, who recently received recognition as the Best Striker in the Serie A, will be presented with his well-deserved award during Napoli’s final game of the season against Sampdoria at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday.

This achievement holds immense significance not only for Osimhen but also for Africa as a whole. 

Throughout his exceptional campaign, which played a crucial role in Napoli clinching the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years, Osimhen not only became the first African Serie A golden boot winner, but also emerged as the highest-scoring Nigerian in the Serie A.

He surpassed Samuel Eto’o’s record of 21 goals in a single Serie A season and even shattered the all-time African scoring record held by the legendary George Weah, who currently serves as the President of Liberia and was a revered figure at AC Milan, with a remarkable 46 goals.

Having already netted 25 goals, Osimhen still has an opportunity to add to his tally and potentially reach the impressive mark of 27 goals set by last season’s winner, Ciro Immobile.

The game against Sampdoria could be his last for Napoli as he’s been courted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe ahead of the summer transfer window.