“That guy is an ogre” – Bryan Mbeumo singles out Super Eagles star as toughest opponent

Cameroon international Bryan Mbeumo has revealed that facing Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey is one of the toughest experiences he has had on the football pitch, Afrik Foot reports.

The Manchester United forward made the admission during a conversation with content creator Zack Nani, describing the Super Eagles star as an extremely difficult opponent due to his strength and speed.

Bryan Mbeumo explains why Calvin Bassey is difficult to face

Speaking about the hardest defenders he has come up against, Mbeumo singled out Bassey and did not hide his frustration about facing the Fulham F.C. defender.

The Cameroon attacker said Bassey’s physical power and pace make him a nightmare to play against.

“It came up a lot during this Africa Cup of Nations and the one before that too. The guy’s an ogre! An ogre! He’s twice my body, he’s too strong. It’s crazy,” Mbeumo said.

“Plus, he’s fast too, he’s tough. No, it’s not fun playing against him.”

Watch what Bryan Mbuemo said about Bassey here:

« Calvin BASSEY c’est un OGRE le type » 🧌🪨

Un Bryan MBEUMO dithyrambique vis-à-vis du défenseur de Fulham 🇳🇬🤝🇨🇲

🎥 @ZackNaniTV pic.twitter.com/oFJyrwAhvc

— Naija Football 🇳🇬 (@NaijaFootball_) March 12, 2026

Bassey has built a reputation as one of the most physically dominant defenders among Nigerian internationals.

Fulham clash adds to Mbeumo’s frustration

During the conversation, Mbeumo also admitted that matches against Fulham are particularly uncomfortable for him, largely because of Bassey and fellow defender Antonee Robinson.

Robinson and Bassey form part of a defensive setup that has frustrated several attacking players in the Premier League.

Responding to Mbeumo’s comments, Zack Nani joked that trips to Fulham’s stadium are rarely enjoyable for attackers.

“I don’t like playing Fulham” – Mbeumo admits

The Cameroon international acknowledged that facing Fulham has become something of a personal rivalry for him.

“I don’t like playing Fulham either, it’s my little internal rivalry,” Mbeumo admitted.

Zack Nani then jokingly concluded that Fulham might have given the forward “PTSD,” drawing laughter from the Manchester United attacker.

Bassey’s growing reputation for physically overpowering forwards means the Nigerian defender continues to earn respect from attackers across Europe — including Mbeumo himself.