Osimhen’s childhood was fraught with challenges, growing up in Olusosun, the largest landfill in Africa. To survive, he sold bags of water to the workers, but he always had a love for football, which provided a welcome escape from the harsh reality of his life.
Osimhen struggled to find a team that would take him on
Victor James Osimhen’s rise to the top of Italian football is a remarkable story of determination and perseverance in the face of adversity. Osimhen’s childhood was fraught with challenges, growing up in Olusosun, the largest landfill in Africa. To survive, he sold bags of water to the workers, but he always had a love for football, which provided a welcome escape from the harsh reality of his life. Osimhen’s first pair of football boots were a mismatched pair, an old Adidas for the right foot and a Reebok for the left. But even this mismatched pair was a luxury for Osimhen, who saw the game as a form of survival. He struggled to find a team that would take him on, with several teams in Germany and Belgium rejecting him due to problems in his medical examination.
The Napoli striker described the experience as a “fantastic emotion
However, Osimhen’s perseverance paid off, and he eventually found a home with Napoli. He quickly became a fan favourite, earning the nickname “Supermhen” for his outstanding performances on the pitch. And it was his goal-scoring prowess that played a crucial role in helping Napoli clinch their third Serie A title. The goal that secured the title for Napoli came in a game against Udinese, with Osimhen collecting a rebound from a saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shot to make it 1-1. Speaking after the game, Osimhen described the experience as a “fantastic emotion,” adding that it was a day he would never forget. “At the beginning of the season, we were not favourites, not many believed in us,” Osimhen said. “But thanks to the union, a great president, and a great coach, we began to believe that we could win the scudetto.”
The mask is also a reminder of the injuries that Osimhen has suffered in his career
Osimhen’s goal-scoring exploits have made him a talisman for Napoli, and his face mask has become a symbol of his resilience and determination. But the mask is also a reminder of the injuries that Osimhen has suffered in his career, including a fractured cheekbone that required six plates and 18 screws to repair. Despite these setbacks, Osimhen remains focused on his goals. He is currently the top scorer in Serie A, with 22 goals to his name, and is on track to become the first African to win the Capocannoniere award. If he achieves this feat, he will join a select group of players, including Marco van Basten, David Trezeguet, Andriy Shevchenko, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who have won both the Scudetto and the Capocannoniere in the same season.
For Osimhen, however, the most important thing is to continue working hard and to keep improving. He knows that success is never guaranteed in football, but he is determined to give his all and to help Napoli achieve even greater success in the years to come.
“I always want to do more, to score more goals, to help my team win more games,” Osimhen said. “But I know that I need to keep working hard and to stay focused on my goals. That is the only way to succeed in this game.”