Victor Osimhen

Biography

Victor Osimhen is a Nigerian professional footballer known for his speed, relentless pressing and aerial ability. He is regarded as one of Africa’s most talented strikers of his generation, with good goal scoring records, resilience, and work ethic.

Osimhen was born in Lagos, Nigeria, to parents, Patrick Osimhen, and Christiana Osimhen. His father Patrick hails from Edo State and his mother hails from Delta State. He is the youngest child in a family of seven children, and grew up in Olusosun area of Lagos alongside his other siblings.

Osimhen who began his career with Ultimate strikers Academy, had his major breakthrough in 2015 when he represented Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. Osimhen delivered an outstanding performance, where he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals. He played a key role in helping Nigeria win the championship, which immediately attracted attention from European clubs.

After a successful outing at the U-17 tournament, he signed a three-and-a-half contract with German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg, on January 5, 2017. He made his debut in a 1-1 draw against Borussia Monchengla, where he came on as a substitute in the 59th minute.

Osimhen’s early years in Germany were challenging due to limited playing time and injuries, which slowed his progress. He moved on a season long loan to Belgian club Charleroi on August 22, 2018, while seeking regular opportunities. The move proved to be a turning point in his career, as Osimhen showcased his scoring ability by netting numerous goals during the season, and  convinced the club to sign him permanently.

He signed a five-year contract with the French club Lille for a reported fee of €12 million, on August 1, 2019. He scored a brace on his debut for the club in a 2-1 victory over Nantes, on August 11.

He joined the Itakian club Napoli for a club record fee of €70 million, on July 31, 2020. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 victory over Atalanta on October 17.

However, Osimhen went on loan to Galatasary in 2024-25 season, and scored a brace on his debut in a 3-3 draw with Kasimpaşa. His move to Galatasaray was eventually made permanent as he signed a four-year contract with the club for a transfer fee of €75 million, on July 31, 2025.

Osimhen who represented Nigeria at the under-17 and under-23 levels, made his senior debut for the  Nigerian national team in a 2-0 loss to South Africa on June 10, 2017.

He played for the Nigerian national team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, and was also called up for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast where he helped the team reached the Final, and eventually lost to the host.

He also played at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco where he also helped the team reached the semi-finals and also lost to the host country, Morocco on penalties. Nigerian eventually won the bronze medal after defeating Egypt on penalties.

He has continued to compete at the highest level, while maintaining his reputation as a forward with physical strength, and ability to score from various positions. He also remain an inspirational figure for young footballers in Nigeria and across Africa.

Osimhen is in a relationship with the German-born model Stefanie Kim Ladewig, and they have a daughter together named Haly.

Career Timeline

• 2017-2019 – VfL Wolfsburg
• 2018-2019 – Charleroi (loan)
• 2019-2020 – Lille – 27 apps, 13 goals
• 2020-2025 – Napoli – 108 apps, 65 goals
• 2024-2025 – Galatasaray (loan) – 30 apps, 26 goals
• 2025 – Galatasaray

Personal Details

• Alternative name: Victor James Osimhen
• Nationality: Nigerian
• Religion: Christianity
• Parents: Patrick Osimhen, Christiana Osimhen
• Partner: Stefanie Kim Ladewig
• Child: Haly (daughter)
• Height: 1.85
• Official website: Instagram – @victorosimhen9

Trivia

• He is originally from Esan tribe in Edo State.
• Osimhen idolized former Ivorian striker Didier Drogba while growing up.
• He worked various small jobs during his childhood in Lagos, including selling bottled water, to support his family.
• He declined several offers from European clubs early in his career before eventually choosing Wolfsburg as his first move abroad.
• He won the African Footballer of the Year in 2023.
• He became the first Nigerian player to win the Serie A Golden Boot award.
• He appeared in television commercial for ülker Çizi, a popular Turkish snack brand produced by Ülker, in April 2025.
• Victor Osimhen wore a protective face mask during matches after suffering a serious facial injury that required surgery.
• He has an overall rating of 87 in EA SPORTS FC 26.
• Most top clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United do not want to sign Osimhen due to his high wage demand which is around €12m net per year.
• He earns a salary of 18.75 million EUR after signing for Galatasary.
• He has a market value of €75 million according to Transfermarkt.