Lagos traffic in the scorching heat is nothing to play with. Yet, this devil’s playground was where Victor Osimhen honed his work ethic.
Victor Osimhen’s journey is a peculiar mix of good fortune and misfortune on all fronts. The Lagos-born striker became a national icon after scoring 10 times and winning the Golden Boot as the Nigerian U-17 team secured the 2015 World Cup in Chile.
Now, he is the 2023 Serie A and 2025 Super Lig champion and has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year.
But to understand the story of the Nigerian boy who became a god in Naples, you need to look at his football career, which has been a public display of conflicts with the club hierarchy, coaches, and the media.
While he was getting goals in Europe, a laundry list of feuds always trailed him, from pay raise issues to insults on social media.
And in all this, his stubbornness and work ethic shone through. This is the story of how Victor Osimhen became one of the hottest and most controversial strikers in Europe.
Growing Up in Nigeria
Victor James Osimhen was born on December 29, 1998, in Lagos State, Nigeria, the youngest of six children. He was raised in the poverty-stricken Olusosun area of Lagos after losing his mother at a very young age.
As a kid, Victor Osimhen adored Didier Drogba, who served as an icon for an underrepresented part of West African young men, even to a higher degree than George Weah, John Mikel Obi, and Michael Essien.
He also contributed to his family income by selling sachet water and a beef sausage roll snack colloquially known as “Gala” on the streets—a memory he recalled in an interview.
“At a tender age of six, I started hawking Gala and sachet water on the streets of Lagos.”
His elder siblings also pulled their weight to supplement the family income – one of his older brothers sold newspapers, while his sister hawked oranges.
Early Success and the 2015 U‑17 World Cup
Despite facing numerous difficulties, Victor Osimhen developed a strong passion for football from a very young age.
When not on the streets trying to make a living, he took the time to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional footballer, which is basically a long shot by any stretch.
Luckily, he caught the attention of local scouts from Nigeria’s Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos.
After impressing at the academy, Osimhen made the squad for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
He not only led the Nigerian team but also outscored everyone else with 10 goals in 7 matches, thus earning the tournament’s Golden Boot.
This impressive feat puts him in the same category as other Nigerian strikers who have captured global attention at the U-17 World Cup stage.
Macauley Chrisantus was Nigeria’s highest scorer in 2007 with seven goals. Nwankwo Kanu was Nigeria’s best player at the 1993 U-17 World Championship before going on to become a cult hero at Arsenal FC.
Osimhen’s exploits brought him to the attention of top clubs; Tottenham was reportedly in contact with his academy after the tournament.
The talk about clubs still willing to make that gamble on Osimhen appeared in the media reports from ESPN and similar outlets.
VFL Wolfsburg was willing to make that gamble.
Wolfsburg Frustrations and Charleroi Resurgence
Victor Osimhen agreed to join the German club VfL Wolfsburg in late 2015 (starting January 2017) as part of a partnership with the Nigerian academy.
What started as a dream move for the young striker quickly spiralled into a nightmare. Recurring injuries kept him on the bench and robbed him of any chance of consistent first-team football.
The young striker, under the tutelage of legendary German goalscorer Mario Gomez, learned his trade and grew as a pro.
“At Wolfsburg, it wasn’t easy. It was my first experience away from home. Mario stopped with me at every training session to give me advice.”
But his lack of consistency kept him majorly anonymous, with little to no impact for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.
🇳🇬 Victor Osimhen:
— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) April 4, 2023
🗣️ “At Wolfsburg, it wasn’t easy. It was my first experience away from home. Mario stopped with me at every training session to give me advice.
“He trusted me. A great champion who dedicated himself to giving me suggestions. I said to myself: if someone as… pic.twitter.com/LySsmojOwv
At the end of the final season, after Wolfsburg narrowly escaped relegation, the club decided to clean house—Victor Osimhen was on the chopping block.
According to ESPN, no clubs, including Wolfsburg, were still willing to gamble on him after a disastrous start to his professional football career. The report goes further to describe that Osimhen was declared “surplus to requirements”.
In fact, the player himself admitted that he was not troubled by the media, but by the end of 2017, it was evident that he needed a new environment.
In January 2018, Wolfsburg decided to loan him to Sporting Charleroi in Belgium. Within three months, Osimhen had scored his fifth league goal in seven games, regaining that lethal form that earned him a spot in one of Europe’s elite clubs.
Due to his impeccable scoring form, the Charleroi coach gave him a regular place in the starting eleven, and he closed the 2017-18 Belgian campaign with ten league goals.
And with this resurgence in Belgium, he was ready to take the next step—France came calling.
Breakout Season at Lille
In August 2019, Osimhen joined Lille OSC in Ligue 1. His form from Charleroi carried over to his debut season at Lille, where he netted 13 times in the 2019–20 season and was Lille’s top scorer.
The Nigerian player received the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé—the award for the best African player in French Ligue 1—in June 2020, becoming the youngest recipient of that title at the age of 21.
At this point, Victor Osimhen’s notoriety was at an all-time high, reaching a similar hype level as Eden Hazard.
Lille coach Christophe Galtier even predicted that Osimhen would go to a bigger club: “I have planned for some time that Victor will not be here next season,” Galtier said in summer 2020.
And so it was that Napoli made a blockbuster offer in July 2020.
Becoming a God in Napoli
In July 2020, Osimhen joined Napoli for a club record €80 million fee to become the most expensive player in the club’s history.
His debut season was a mixed bag as he tried to find his feet under Gennaro Gattuso, who had just won the Coppa Italia.
After the club replaced Gattuso with Spaletti, a few tactical changes were needed, and the club decided to go through a complete overhaul.
High-profile departures of legends like Dries Mertens, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Lorenzo Insigne threatened the success and stability of Napoli as a club. Still, the hierarchy made Osimhen and other marquee signings the face of the new Napoli.
By the start of the 2022-23 season, something flipped in Osimhen—his hunger went into overdrive. His partnership with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia started clicking like a well-lubricated engine.
Osimhen brought the grit and grind, Kvaradona brought the skill and guile.
Under the leadership of coach Luciano Spalletti, Osimhen managed to score 26 goals.
This attacking prowess, alongside a stingy defense and robust midfield, gave Napoli their first Scudetto in 33 years. Osimhen became the third Napoli player to finish top scorer in Italian football since Diego Maradona.
The individual achievements just kept coming.
At the age of 24, Osimhen placed eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings, following his selection as “African Footballer of the Year” for that year.
By December 2023, he won the CAF award for Men’s Player of the Year for 2023, making him the first Nigerian to win that award since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
Osimhen had become a fan-favorite and household name among the best footballers in the elite strikers’ circle. He reached god-status in Naples, standing beside Maradona and other legends.
The TikTok Scandal and Fallout
Osimhen’s stock in Naples rose to new heights, but off-field antics in late September 2023 overshadowed a brilliant spell on the pitch.
Napoli’s official TikTok account, in an attempt to be humorous, posted two short clips that ridiculed Osimhen: the first showed his face (in his protective mask) next to coconut imagery.
At the same time, the second was a joke about a missed penalty. The videos sparked a strong reaction, and netizens were quick to condemn the comedy.
Roberto Calenda, Osimhen’s agent, did not hold back in his reaction to the posts. ESPN reported that Calenda, in a statement, said the videos were “unacceptable” and that they did severe damage to the player; hence, he was threatening to sue.
To make it clear what he felt, Osimhen even went so far as to delete pictures of Napoli from his social media.
Any delay to the reaction was out of the question as it bounced back at lightning speed.
A majority of fans and observers felt the posts were racist and humiliating, and the owners of Napoli were in a frenzy to find the best words to apologize.
The club released a statement two days later, suggesting that they never intended to ridicule or offend Osimhen and that the incident was due to “light-hearted” social media banter.
The Napoli fans were going to be here for Osimhen. For example, in one home game, Osimhen was given a standing ovation (and even the interim coach Walter Mazzarri was booed).
Although the feud lingered, Osimhen did not lose his professionalism on the pitch – for example, when Napoli won a penalty after the scandal, he quietly allowed teammate Piotr Zieliński to convert it.
But behind the scenes, the situation was far from cordial. Laurens Julien, a veteran journalist, wrote that to secure Osimhen’s trust, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis would have to go and reassure him personally.
The matter raised concerns about Osimhen’s stay at Napoli; the media reported that while the fans chanted his name in the stands and the boss kept apologizing, the situation was not looking good.
As the end of the season approached and the transfer window opened for the summer, it became obvious that Osimhen already had one foot out of the club.
Galatasaray Comes Calling
In January 2024, Osimhen appeared to have drawn a line in the sand with Napoli. Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Ahli tried to sign him but were unsuccessful for different reasons—the wage bill was the white albatross.
With suitors unwilling to pay the price, a surprise guest from Turkey appeared when the situation seemed bleak for Osimhen.
Once Galatasaray offered to sign Osimhen on loan, the striker gladly joined because his move gave him time to shop for more offers and still play in Europe. His former teammate Dries Mertens must have played a significant role in his decision.
His arrival in Istanbul felt like an emperor visiting Constantinople. Crowds flocked to the airport to see the new wonder striker.
As Turkish fans raced to the airport, Nigerian fans raced to Galatasaray’s social media platforms. The Turks had just opened the door to the two loudest football fanbases on the interwebs—and the noise was loud.
“I am thrilled to be here,” Osimhen told Galatasaray’s TV after arriving at the airport. “There is an amazing atmosphere… I want to play as soon as possible,” he stated, then he added, “I want to make [the fans] crazy with goals that I will score.”
You could see the thrill and relief on his face. His heartfelt words were what the fans responded to most: the ultras embraced him as the “boy who came for refuge”.
Osimhen was true to his word and showed up during the games. He ended the 2024–25 Süper Lig season as Galatasaray’s top scorer and helped them win the title.
He scored 26 goals and set up five assists in 30 games, making light work of Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe and winning Galatasaray’s 25th league title.
Osimhen became a cult hero in Istanbul.
Osimhen with the National Team
Victor Osimhen is currently part of another golden generation of Nigerian footballers, playing alongside Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Osimhen first appeared for the Nigerian senior team in 2017 and was on the squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (in which they finished in third place). He was supposed to participate in the 2021 AFCON, which was postponed to January 2022.
However, he sustained a serious facial injury in a match for Napoli in November 2021. According to club doctors, Osimhen was to be at rest for 60–90 days, which would have meant missing the AFCON 2022 tournament.
Osimhen was still not with Nigeria’s squad in late 2023 – partly because of an injury. But led the Super Eagles in the 2024 AFCON, where they reached the final but lost to hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
In FIFA World Cup qualifiers, though, Osimhen has been Nigeria’s leading striker. In March 2025, he scored two goals in a 2-0 victory over Rwanda, bringing his total to 25 and putting him in second place on Nigeria’s all-time scoring list.
He is at the core of Nigeria’s attack as of March 2025. Fans hope that he will be the main striker for Nigeria in both the next AFCON and FIFA World Cup.
Every Nigerian hopes that Victor Osimhen can eclipse Ahmed Musa’s heroics and win trophies with the national team.
Return to Galatasaray (Permanent)
Osimhen’s future in Turkey was almost a done deal after the 2024/2025 season. Several sources indicate that European powerhouses such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United were interested in the Nigerian in 2024, but they were unable to meet Napoli’s price.
No big club was willing to go that high on wages (€12.82 million per year). Additionally, he turned down a record-breaking offer from Al-Ahli SC.
Osimhen’s agents and close friends emphasized that Osimhen will not take a pay cut to join Chelsea.
On the contrary, his agent openly stated that the player still has a lot of work left in Europe and emphasized that Osimhen “must be respected” for all the good work he has done over the years.
When that declaration met the stubbornness of Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, Osimhen found himself in a Neapolitan standoff.
De Laurentiis demanded a high price and refused to renege on his stance. Reports coming out of the dressing room claimed that Osimhen absconded from Napoli’s preseason training by pretending to be sick.
The relationship between player and club was irreparable at this point. Even Napoli fans were openly calling for his head—they declared him the worst transfer in the history of the club.
After much back and forth between ADL and Galatasaray, Napoli consented to the sale of Osimhen for €75 million, plus additional terms to be negotiated by July 2025.
The Napoli club waived the release clause of €75m in Osimhen’s contract—initially for a loan period—and Galatasaray will pay Napoli €40m immediately, with the remaining sum due in installments until 2026.
Osimhen signed a four-year deal with Galatasaray until 2029, with a rumored annual net fee of €16 million agreed upon, making him one of the highest-paid footballers in Turkey.
He was finally free—and he did it on his own terms.
Osimhen: Problem Child or Confident Superstar?
Osimhen is a subject of contrasting views. In Europe, Osimhen is a “whiny kid” who cares all about the money and is willing to throw away his career for a few extra quid. Detractors claim that his requested salary of £500,000 weekly is outrageous.
However, his supporters argue that Osimhen is merely seeking a salary equivalent to that of a top-class striker: African Player of the Year, 8th in the Ballon d’Or, and hitting his prime.
Osimhen is human, not “a commodity to be moved to some other place” to make room for the new signings. In other words, he has made it clear that his record of achievements in his career excuses his demands for salary and respect.
And respect has been a constant guiding light for everything Osimhen does in his career.
In June 2024, he had a very public argument with Nigeria’s coach, Finidi George.
When Finidi complained that some “untouchable” players were disrespecting the team, Osimhen responded on Instagram that he had “lost respect” for Finidi, thus sparking a controversy in the media.
Former Nigerian keeper Idah Peterside saw Osimhen’s public outburst as “disrespectful and unacceptable” and even asked the striker to apologize.
Osimhen subsequently defended his position, claiming that respect must be mutual and therefore he would provide proof. He has been both lauded and blamed for his hot temper in these situations.
Many people attribute Osimhen’s self-esteem to his family background. He was a child who constantly faced difficulties as he raced between moving cars on the streets of Lagos.
That drive from a very young age comes with an assertiveness that, unfortunately, sometimes comes off as stubborn arrogance.
According to this line of reasoning, Osimhen’s “ego” and his quick temper are only masks of an underestimated man who has never been treated with respect throughout his life.
To be a “problem child” or someone who clears a trail behind him, he is still definitely the same person who has never regretted being himself, and whose football record is undeniable.
What’s Next for Osimhen?
Victor Osimhen is locked into a contract in Turkey for the foreseeable future, with a contract running until 2029. Galatasaray fans are beaming in anticipation of the second coming.
I think it is a win for all parties. Napoli got their money, Osimhen got paid, Galatasaray gained a goal machine, and we get to watch a top striker in the Champions League.
Osimhen will lead Galatasaray’s attack in the 2025–26 season as they try to defend their league title and also pursue success in Europe. He has already made it clear that he will do his best for the club and that he is looking forward to scoring again.
Without injuries or any unforeseen circumstances, he will lead Nigeria at the 2026 AFCON and World Cup qualification.
Regardless of how his career turns out, Osimhen will forever be a turbulent superstar or a confident leader of his generation who moved from Lagos, where he sold sachet water, to Naples and Istanbul, where he became a god.
Who wrote this?
Hashim Kolawole is a big sports fan who turned his love for the game into a career in sports writing. For him, writing is a way to share his passion for sports with the world.
Hashim also enjoys telling stories about football, basketball, and other sports. He loves reading, traveling, listening to afrobeat and a little bit of hip hop. He is also a chronic candy crush addict.
