Victor Osimhen

Osimhen started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy, based in Lagos, Nigeria. In January 2016, after being noticed for his performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Osimhen committed to a pre-contract with VfL Wolfsburg, stipulating that he would officially join the club in January 2017.

VfL Wolfsburg

2017–18: First seasons in Europe

On 5 January 2017, Osimhen officially signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the club, lasting until June 2020. Out with an injury upon his arrival, he made his Bundesliga debut for Wolfsburg on 13 May, coming on as a substitute in the 59th minute in a 1–1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Osimhen also came on the following week in a pivotal relegation tie against Hamburger SV, on what was the final match day of the 2016–17 season. He replaced defender Sebastian Jung with the score tied 1–1, and Hamburg scored a late winner to pass Wolfsburg in the table, sending Wolfsburg to a relegation playoff with Eintracht Braunschweig. Osimhen was in the squad for both matches, receiving a cameo at the end of the second leg with Wolfsburg's participation in the next Bundesliga confirmed, as they won 2–0 on aggregate. Osimhen was named in 12 of the 17 matchday squads in the first half of the 2017–18 season, appearing in 5 games. He earned his full Bundesliga debut on 28 January 2018 against Hannover, playing the full 90 minutes in their 1–0 win. Osimhen made two more starts for the rest of the campaign, playing the…

Osimhen was a member of the Nigeria under-17 team that won the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. He scored 10 goals in seven games at the tournament and won the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards. His performances also earned him the CAF Youth Player of the Year award in 2015. Osimhen made his official senior debut for Nigeria in a 2–0 defeat against South Africa on 10 June 2017. He missed out on Nigeria's 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign after his inconsistent season at Wolfsburg. Following a successful start to his loan spell at Charleroi, he was recalled by Gernot Rohr for the November 2018 international break, starting their friendly win over Uganda. In March 2019, Osimhen was released from the Super Eagles squad to represent the Nigerian U23 side as they were two goals down against their Libyan opponent. He scored three goals in the return match against Libya in Asaba. Osimhen was listed in coach Gernot Rohr's 25-man provisional list for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt and was further listed in the final list for the tournament. In the match for third place, he replaced the injured Odion Ighalo at half-time in the team's 1–0 victory over Tunisia. He played a total of 45 mins at the tournament. The Super Eagles ended the 2021 AFCON qualifiers on a high, beating Lesotho 3–0. However, Osimhen missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations supposedly due to COVID-19 as claimed by his club. This claim provoked a response from a sport lawyer in Nigeria who wrote to…

Osimhen was born on 29 December 1998 in Lagos, Nigeria, as the youngest of seven children. His father Patrick was from Esan in Edo State while his mother Christiana was from Amai, Ukwuani area in Delta State. He was raised in the Olusosun area of Lagos, a densely populated community located near one of the city's largest landfills. His early life was marked by poverty and hardship; Osimhen sold sachet water ("pure water") and other items in Lagos traffic to help support his family after the death of his mother and his father’s job loss. He developed a passion for football from a young age, often playing barefoot on the streets with improvised balls. Osimhen attended Olusosun Primary School, where his football talent began to draw attention. He later joined Ultimate Strikers Academy, a local football academy in Lagos, where his skills were nurtured and eventually led to his discovery by national team scouts. His breakthrough came in 2015 when he was selected to represent Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, where he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals and helped Nigeria win the title. Osimhen has often cited Didier Drogba as his idol and a major inspiration in his football career.

Victor Osimhen was born to a father from Esan in Edo State and a mother from Ukwuani in Delta State. He had a tough childhood and at some point sold sachet water and newspapers in traffic to support his family after the death of his beloved mother, Christiana. He has openly spoken about his humble beginnings and how those experiences shaped his resilience and determination. Osimhen has publicly acknowledged being in a relationship with Stefanie Kim Ladewig a German-born model and together they have a daughter. Osimhen is a Christian. He has stated that he has drawn inspiration from Sadio Mané, who helps his community in Senegal, and has said he wants to help disabled people throughout Africa. Osimhen announced the birth of his first child, a daughter named Haly, born in October 2022.