Victor Osimhen facts for kids

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Victor Osimhen

Osimhen with Nigeria in 2024

Personal information

Date of birth

29 December 1998 (age 26)

Place of birth

Lagos State, Nigeria

Height

1.85 m

Playing position

Striker

Club information

Current club

Galatasaray
(on loan from Napoli)

Number

Youth career

–2017

Ultimate Strikers Academy

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2017–2019

VfL Wolfsburg

(0)

2018–2019

→ Charleroi (loan)

(12)

2019

Charleroi

(0)

2019–2020

Lille

(13)

2020–

Napoli

108

(65)

2024–

→ Galatasaray (loan)

(11)

National team^‡

2015

Nigeria U17

(10)

2015–2019

Nigeria U23

(3)

2017–

Nigeria

(23)

Honours


Men's football
Representing Nigeria
Africa Cup of Nations
	2023 Ivory Coast
Third	2019 Egypt
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
Winner	2015 Senegal
FIFA U-17 World Cup
Winner	2015 Chile

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:12, 17 January 2025 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:00, 18 November 2024 (UTC)

Victor James Osimhen is a Nigerian professional footballer. He was born on 29 December 1998. Victor plays as a striker for Süper Lig club Galatasaray. He is currently on loan from the Italian club Napoli. He also plays for the Nigeria national team. Osimhen is known for his amazing speed, strength, and athletic skills.

Victor started his senior career in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg in 2017. After a year and a half, he moved to Belgium. He played for Charleroi on loan in 2018–19. Then, he joined Ligue 1 club Lille in France. He scored 18 goals in his only season there.

In 2020, Osimhen moved to Serie A team Napoli. This was a club-record transfer fee of €90 million. He won the Serie A Best Young Player award in the 2021–22 season. The next year, he was the league's top scorer with 26 goals. This was a record for an African player. He helped Napoli win their first Serie A title in 33 years. For this, he won the league's Best Striker award. A few months later, he was named Serie A Footballer of the Year. Osimhen is now the highest-scoring African player in Serie A history.

Victor Osimhen won the Golden Boot award at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Nigeria won that tournament. He played his first senior international game in June 2017. He also played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and 2023. His efforts helped Nigeria reach the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final. They lost to the host country, Ivory Coast. He is currently the joint-second all-time highest goalscorer for Nigeria.

On 29 May 2023, Victor Osimhen received a special honor. He was made a Member of the Federal Republic. This award was given by President Muhammadu Buhari. Osimhen finished eighth at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony. He was the first Nigerian to be in the top ten for this French award. He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 2023. He is the first Nigerian to win this award since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.

Early Life and Beginnings
Club Football Journey
International Career with Nigeria
Player Profile: Style of Play
Personal Life
Career Statistics
- Club Appearances and Goals
- International Appearances and Goals
Awards and Honors
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Beginnings

Victor Osimhen was born on 29 December 1998 in Lagos, Nigeria. He is the youngest of six children. His parents are from Edo State and belong to the Esan ethnic group in Nigeria. He grew up in the Olusosun area of Lagos State. When he was young, his football hero was Didier Drogba.

Osimhen started his football journey at the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos. In January 2016, after showing great talent at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he signed a special agreement with VfL Wolfsburg. This meant he would officially join the German club in January 2017.

Club Football Journey

Starting in Europe: VfL Wolfsburg

On 5 January 2017, Osimhen officially signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Wolfsburg. He was injured when he first arrived. He made his Bundesliga debut on 13 May. He came on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw. Wolfsburg had to play in a special game to avoid being moved to a lower league. Osimhen was part of the team that won and stayed in the Bundesliga.

In the 2017–18 season, Osimhen played in 12 games. He made his first full Bundesliga start on 28 January 2018. He played the whole game in a 1–0 win. He had shoulder surgery on 2 May, which ended his season. He did not score any goals for Wolfsburg.

Loan to Charleroi: Finding Success

In 2018, Osimhen had some tryouts with Belgian clubs. But he had malaria, which affected his fitness. So, no club signed him. On 22 August 2018, Osimhen joined Belgian club Charleroi on a loan deal. He had not scored in his 16 games for Wolfsburg.

He made his debut on 1 September. On 22 September, he scored his first professional goal. He scored twice in a 3–2 win on 21 October. After that game, Osimhen told BBC Sport he had "found his happiness again." He scored 8 goals in 16 games in the first half of the season. After playing 36 games and scoring 20 goals, Charleroi decided to buy him permanently.

Moving to France: Lille OSC

Osimhen playing for Lille in 2019

On 1 August 2019, French club Lille signed Osimhen. He signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee was about €12 million. He said Lille was a great club with good players. He also mentioned that other Nigerian players had played there. He was given the number 7 shirt.

Just ten days later, he played his first Ligue 1 game. He scored two goals in a 2–1 win. Two weeks later, he scored another two goals in a 3–0 win. His performance was highly praised. Osimhen was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Month for September 2019. He scored two goals and helped with two more that month.

He scored his first UEFA Champions League goal on 2 October 2019. This was in a 1–2 loss to Chelsea. A report showed that Osimhen was the fastest player in the league. He reached speeds over 35 km/h seven times. He finished the season as Lille's top scorer. He had 13 goals in 25 league matches and 18 goals overall. His great season earned him the 2020 Prix Marc-Vivien Foé. This award is for the best African player in the French league. On 2 June 2020, fans voted him Lille's Player of the Season.

Italian Glory: Napoli

First Seasons and Challenges

On 31 July 2020, Italian club Napoli signed Osimhen. It was a club-record fee of €70 million. This made him the most expensive African transfer at that time. On 17 October, Osimhen scored his first goal for Napoli. He held up a shirt calling for the ending of police brutality in Nigeria.

In November, Osimhen got a shoulder injury while playing for Nigeria. He was out for two months. While recovering, he went to Nigeria for his birthday. It is believed he caught COVID-19 there. This kept him out until January 2021. In November 2021, Osimhen had a serious head injury. He fractured his skull and eye socket. He had surgery and missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He has worn a protective mask since then. By the end of that season, he scored 14 goals in Serie A.

Breakthrough and Title Win

Osimhen playing for Napoli in 2023

On 12 October 2022, Osimhen scored his first Champions League goal for Napoli. This helped them qualify for the next stage. On 29 October, he scored his first Serie A hat-trick. On 11 November, he scored a goal and assisted another. This made him Nigeria's highest goal scorer in Italian Serie A. He passed Simy's record.

On 13 January 2023, Osimhen scored two goals and helped with another. Napoli beat Juventus 5–1. On 17 February 2023, he scored his 100th career goal. He also became the first Napoli player to score in seven league games in a row. In the Champions League, Osimhen scored three goals against Eintracht Frankfurt. Napoli won 5–0 overall. This was their first time reaching the quarter-finals.

On 4 May 2023, he scored a goal that made Napoli Serie A champions. It was their first title in 33 years. His goal made him the joint-highest African scorer in Serie A. He also broke Samuel Eto'o's record for most goals by an African in one Italian season. Three days later, he scored a penalty to become the highest-scoring African in Serie A history. He finished the season as the top scorer with 26 goals. He was the first African to do this.

Contract and Loan to Galatasaray

On 19 August 2023, Osimhen started the new season with two goals. He helped Napoli win 3–1. He got a hamstring injury in October 2023. This made him miss several games. He returned on 25 November 2023 and helped Napoli win. On 12 December 2023, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season. This helped Napoli move to the knockout stages.

On 23 December 2023, Osimhen extended his contract with Napoli until 2026. He scored a hat-trick on 28 February 2024. This made him the third player to score at least ten goals in Serie A for Napoli in four seasons. The others were Diego Maradona and Attila Sallustro.

In August 2024, there was a lot of talk about Osimhen leaving Napoli. He was linked with clubs like Al-Ahli, Chelsea, and PSG. On 3 September, Turkish club Galatasaray started talks to sign Osimhen on loan. The next day, Galatasaray announced he had joined them on loan. On 28 September, Osimhen scored his first two goals for Galatasaray. He scored another two goals in the Europa League against Tottenham.

International Career with Nigeria

Victor Osimhen was part of the Nigeria under-17 team. They won the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. He scored 10 goals in seven games. He won the Golden Boot (for most goals) and Silver Ball (second best player) awards. He also won the CAF Youth Player of the Year award in 2015.

He made his first senior debut for Nigeria on 10 June 2017. This was in a 2–0 loss. He was called back to the national team in November 2018. In March 2019, he played for the Nigerian U23 side. He scored three goals in a game against Libya.

Osimhen was chosen for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. He played 45 minutes in the third-place match. Nigeria won 1–0. He missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. His club said it was due to COVID-19. This caused some discussion in Nigeria.

He started the 2023 AFCON qualifiers very well. He scored a goal against Sierra Leone. He then scored four goals in a 10–0 win. This was his first senior international hat-trick. On 10 September 2023, he scored another hat-trick. He finished as the top scorer in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers with 10 goals. In December 2023, he was called up for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He scored a goal in the opening match, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

Player Profile: Style of Play

Osimhen scoring a goal for Lille in 2019

Victor Osimhen is a right-footed striker. He is known for his strong physical presence. He is very athletic and strong. He runs into open spaces well and has a good eye for scoring goals. His best qualities are his explosive speed and his ability to head the ball.

Osimhen is 185 cm (about 6 feet 1 inch) tall. His wide build helps him hold the ball. This makes him a good target player. He can bring other players into the game. He also helps build up attacking plays. He stays calm when he has a chance to score. He can score from different positions. This makes him a valuable player. Osimhen also has great stamina and works hard. He presses opponents, helping his team's defense.

Personal Life

Victor Osimhen is a Christian. He has said that he is inspired by Sadio Mané. Mané helps his community in Senegal. Osimhen also wants to help disabled people across Africa. In October 2022, Osimhen announced the birth of his first child. It was a daughter named Haly.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
VfL Wolfsburg	2016–17	Bundesliga	2	0	0	0	—		—		1	0	3	0
	2017–18	Bundesliga	12	0	1	0	—		—		—		13	0
	Total		14	0	1	0	—		—		1	0	16	0
Charleroi (loan)	2018–19	Belgian Pro League	25	12	2	1	—		—		9	7	36	20
Charleroi (loan)	Total		25	12	2	1	—		—		9	7	36	20
Lille	2019–20	Ligue 1	27	13	3	1	3	2	5	2	—		38	18
Lille	Total		27	13	3	1	3	2	5	2	–		38	18
Napoli	2020–21	Serie A	24	10	3	0	—		3	0	0	0	30	10
	2021–22	Serie A	27	14	0	0	—		5	4	—		32	18
	2022–23	Serie A	32	26	1	0	—		6	5	—		39	31
	2023–24	Serie A	25	15	1	0	—		6	2	0	0	32	17
	Total		108	65	5	0	—		20	11	0	0	133	76
Galatasaray (loan)	2024–25	Süper Lig	14	11	0	0	—		5	4	—		19	15
Career total			188	101	11	2	3	2	30	17	10	7	242	129

International Appearances and Goals

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Nigeria	2017	2	0
	2018	1	0
	2019	7	4
	2020	1	1
	2021	8	5
	2022	4	5
	2023	5	5
	2024	11	3
Total		39	23

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Osimhen goal.

List of international goals scored by Victor Osimhen
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 September 2019	Dnipro-Arena, Dnipro, Ukraine	Ukraine	2–0	2–2	Friendly
2	13 November 2019	Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria	Benin	1–1	2–1	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3	17 November 2019	Setsoto Stadium, Maseru, Lesotho	Lesotho	3–1	4–2	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4	17 November 2019	Setsoto Stadium, Maseru, Lesotho	Lesotho	4–1	4–2	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5	13 November 2020	Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Nigeria	Sierra Leone	2–0	4–4	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
6	30 March 2021	Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Nigeria	Lesotho	1–0	3–0	2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
7	7 September 2021	Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena, Mindelo, Cape Verde	Cape Verde	1–1	2–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
8	10 October 2021	Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon	Central African Republic	2–0	2–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	13 November 2021	Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier, Morocco	Liberia	1–0	2–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
10	16 November 2021	Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Nigeria	Cape Verde	1–0	1–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
11	9 June 2022	Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria	Sierra Leone	2–1	2–1	2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
12	13 June 2022	Adrar Stadium, Agadir, Morocco	São Tomé and Príncipe	1–0	10–0	2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
13				4–0
14				8–0
15				9–0
16	18 June 2023	Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Paynesville, Liberia	Sierra Leone	1–0	3–2	2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
17	18 June 2023	Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Paynesville, Liberia	Sierra Leone	2–0	3–2	2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
18	10 September 2023	Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria	São Tomé and Príncipe	1–0	6–0	2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
19				4–0
20				5–0
21	14 January 2024	Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast	Equatorial Guinea	1–1	1–1	2023 Africa Cup of Nations
22	7 September 2024	Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria	Benin	2–0	3–0	2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
23	14 November 2024	Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast	Benin	1–1	1–1	2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification