Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen declined the opportunity to wear the Galatasaray captain’s armband during his side’s 3-3 pre-season draw with Rennes at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex RAMS Park.
Osimhen was offered the armband during the second half after Galatasaray’s regular captain Abdülkerim Bardakcı was substituted, but the Nigerian chose instead to hand it to Yunus Akgün.
The incident came during an entertaining friendly in which Osimhen had already made an impact on the scoresheet.
Galatasaray took the lead from a corner after Gabriel Sara delivered a cross into the penalty area. Osimhen rose above the defenders and met the ball with a powerful header to put the Turkish side ahead.
The Nigerian forward then found himself at the centre of attention again in the second half, although this time for a decision away from the action in front of goal.
Bardakcı, Galatasaray’s primary captain, was taken off in the 74th minute. As he left the pitch, he passed the captain’s armband to Osimhen, appearing to indicate that the striker should take over the captaincy for the remainder of the match.
Osimhen, however, chose not to accept the responsibility.
Instead, he handed the armband to Akgün and suggested that the attacking midfielder should lead the team.
The decision surprised Akgün, who attempted to persuade Osimhen to take the armband himself.
Osimhen did not change his mind and maintained his decision to decline the captaincy.
The incident is notable because Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk had previously indicated that Osimhen could become one of the club’s captains for the coming season.
Buruk’s plans followed the departure of Mauro Icardi and included Osimhen among the players who could take on a leadership role within the squad.
The Rennes friendly therefore provided an early indication of Osimhen’s preference when the opportunity to captain the side arose.
Rather than accepting the armband passed to him by Bardakcı, the Nigerian forward chose Akgün as the player he believed should lead the team for the remainder of the contest.
The decision came during a match in which Galatasaray were involved in an open contest with Rennes.
Osimhen’s contribution before the captaincy incident had already been significant. His header from Sara’s corner gave Galatasaray an early advantage and demonstrated his aerial threat inside the penalty area.
The friendly ultimately finished 3-3, with neither side able to secure victory.
For Osimhen, the match offered an opportunity to continue preparations for the new season while also highlighting an unusual moment involving the club’s leadership structure.
Buruk had previously made clear that he viewed the Nigerian as a potential member of Galatasaray’s captaincy group after Icardi’s departure.
Yet when Bardakcı handed him the armband, Osimhen opted not to take it.
His choice instead gave Akgün the opportunity to captain the team during the final stages of the match.
Akgün was reportedly surprised by the decision and tried to convince Osimhen to reconsider, but the Nigerian remained firm.
The episode adds an unexpected detail to Galatasaray’s preparations for the upcoming campaign, particularly given the manager’s previous comments about Osimhen’s potential leadership role.
While Osimhen’s decision was clear in the friendly against Rennes, Buruk’s earlier intention means the striker could still be considered among Galatasaray’s captains for the new season.
For now, however, the Nigerian’s preference in the Rennes match was to pass the responsibility to Akgün rather than wear the armband himself.
