Osimhen: Ronaldo, Shevchenko, and the stars that have outdone Napoli’s latest Serie A Centurion

Victor Osimhen made his 100th Serie A appearance on Friday night when Napoli were held 1-1 by Torino at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

The Nigeria international joined the club in 2020 from Ligue 1 side Lille and has become one of the club’s leading performers. Osimhen’s top achievement since moving to Naples was playing a pivotal role in helping the Partenopei to a first Scudetto in 33 years with last season’s Serie A title.

On an individual note, the Super Eagles forward became the first African to claim the Capocannoniere — the top scorer award — with 26 league strikes in 2022-23, a feat that eluded greats like George Weah and Samuel Eto’o.

The Nigerian was on 99 appearances before Friday’s game, and being handed a start by Francesco Calzona took the African Footballer of the Year to 100 appearances in Serie A. Osimhen had scored 61 goals before gameweek 28, but he could not add to that tally as Alessandro Buongiorno stuck to the centre-forward like glue for most of the 90 minutes.

Despite not scoring a 62nd goal against Torino, Osimhen’s numbers rank impressively among other forwards to have hit the 100-appearance mark in Serie A in the era of three points for a win. Since the 1994-95 season, only five players have scored more times in their first 100 games in Italy’s top flight.

While the legendary Portuguese footballer actually never hit the 100-appearance mark, the former Juventus forward’s incredible numbers in three years in Serie A were noteworthy.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner netted 81 goals in his 98 Italian topflight appearances, unsurprisingly outdoing everyone else in the first 100 games. Ronaldo, Capocannoniere in 2020-21, departed Juventus at the start of the following season, making his 98th and final Serie A appearance at Udinese on August 8, 2021.

Higuain packed a punch in his prime, winning three LaLiga titles with Real Madrid before leaving for Serie A in 2013. Despite reports linking the Argentine to Premier League side Arsenal, Higuain signed for Napoli and had three goal-laden years in Naples, with his third and final one his peak.

The forward netted 36 Serie A goals in 2015-16, and it was fitting that he made his 100th appearance in the competition in that same season before an acrimonious departure to Juventus in the summer of 2016. He found the back of the net 65 times in his first 100 matches in the top division.

Shevchenko played the most games for AC Milan throughout his club career, winning Serie A in 2003-04. Expectedly, the 2003 Champions League winner crossed 100 games for the Rossoneri, becoming a Centurion in the 2002-03 campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.

Shevchenko netted 64 goals in his first 100 games.

Like Shevchenko, Montella also netted 64 times in his first 100 Serie A games, notching 54 goals for Sampdoria in 83 appearances before the club's relegation in 1999.

The retired Italian then signed for Roma and became a Centurion in the 1999-2000 season at the capital club, staying with the Giallorossi for eight years in his first spell.

Juventus were the only side the former France international played for, and he became a Centurion in the 2003-04 campaign just before the culmination of his fourth year in Turin.

Despite never claiming the Capocannoniere, Trezeguet scored 63 times in his first 100 games for the Old Lady.