| Age | 27 years |
| Date of birth | 29 December 1998 |
| Height, weight | 185 cm, 78 kg |
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Citizenship | Nigeria |
| Position | centre-forward |
| Club | Galatasaray |
| Number | 45 |
| In the team since | 2025 |
| Contract until | 30 June 2029 |
| Contract extensions | the latest contract was signed in 2025 after the transfer from SSC Napoli |
| Market value | about €75 million |
| Eye color | dark brown |
| Preferred foot | right |
| Agent | Roberto Calenda |
Biography of Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen - a Nigerian striker who made a name for himself thanks to his speed, strength, and ability to decide episodes inside the penalty area. He began his football career in his homeland at the Ultimate Strikers academy, and after a brilliant performance at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup he attracted the attention of leading European clubs. Among the options were trials and interest from teams in England and Germany, but Osimhen eventually chose Wolfsburg - the agreement came into effect at the beginning of 2017. His Bundesliga debut took place on 13 May 2017 in a match against Borussia Monchengladbach.
To gain regular playing time, in the summer of 2018 he went on loan to the Belgian club Charleroi and quickly became a notable figure: he made his league debut on 1 September and scored his first goal on 22 September. At the end of the season the Belgian club bought the player permanently. The following summer Osimhen received an offer from Russia but preferred to continue his career in a top league and in August 2019 moved to Lille, where he scored a brace in his debut match for the club.
In the summer of 2020 Osimhen became Napoli's record signing: the deal amounted to 70 million euros plus bonuses. In Italy he established himself as a key forward, regularly scoring in Serie A and European competitions, recording a hat-trick against Sassuolo and delivering productive performances in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League. In the same season he helped Napoli win the Italian championship, and in December 2023 he extended his contract with the club until 2026.
Later his career took him to Turkey: in September 2024 Galatasaray loaned the striker for a season, and on 31 July 2025 completed a permanent transfer. The transfer fee was 75 million euros - a record for the Turkish Super League - and the player's contract is signed for four years.
Personal life of Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen has repeatedly spoken about his difficult childhood: after the death of his mother he helped his family by working on the streets - selling drinking water in sachets and newspapers in traffic jams. According to him, those years strongly influenced his character and became the source of his discipline and resilience.
Osimhen is a Christian. In public interviews he has noted that he is inspired by the example of Sadio Mane, who supports his community in Senegal, and he has spoken about his desire to help people with disabilities across the African continent.
The footballer has also confirmed a relationship with Stefanie Kim Ladevig (a model born in Germany). The couple has a daughter: in October 2022 Osimhen announced the birth of their first child - a girl named Hailey.
Interesting facts about Victor Osimhen
- The youngest of six children. Victor was born on 29 December 1998 in Lagos and grew up in the Olusosun area (Oregun, Ikeja). The family's roots are from Edo State (Esan South East).
- Meaning of the surname. In the Ishan language the surname Osimhen translates as "God is good".
- Breakthrough at the U-17 World Cup (2015). At the tournament in Chile Osimhen scored 10 goals in 7 matches, became the top scorer (Golden Boot), and received the Silver Ball.
- U-17 tournament record. His 10 goals became a new record for FIFA U-17 World Cups, surpassing the previous mark of 9 goals.
- Africa's Best Young Player (2015). In the same year Victor received the CAF Youth Player of the Year award.
- Childhood idol - Didier Drogba. Osimhen has openly said that he admired the fighting spirit and mentality of the Chelsea legend.
- Turned down Arsenal after speaking with Wenger. After the youth World Cup he spoke with Arsene Wenger, but at that moment decided that it was more important to follow a path where he would gain stable playing time faster and physically develop.
- Marc-Vivien Foé award in France. At the end of the season with Lille he received the Marc-Vivien Foé prize as the best African player in Ligue 1.
- Nickname "Mister Hat-Trick". In Naples he received this nickname after a bright pre-season where he scored two hat-tricks in his first two friendly matches.
Victor Osimhen's statistics
Club statistics
As of 7 March 2026
| Club | League | Season | League appearances | Goals | Cup appearances | Goals | European competitions[a] appearances | Goals | Other[b] appearances | Goals | Total appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfsburg | Bundesliga | 2016/17 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| 2017/18 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 13 | 0 | ||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 0 | ||
| Charleroi | Pro League | 2018/19 | 34 | 19 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 36 | 20 |
| Total | 34 | 19 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 36 | 20 | ||
| Lille | Ligue 1 | 2019/20 | 27 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 38 | 18 |
| Total | 27 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 38 | 18 | ||
| Napoli | Serie A | 2020/21 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 10 |
| 2021/22 | 27 | 14 | - | - | 5 | 4 | - | - | 32 | 18 | ||
| 2022/23 | 32 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | - | - | 39 | 31 | ||
| 2023/24 | 25 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 32 | 17 | ||
| Total | 108 | 65 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 11 | - | - | 133 | 76 | ||
| Galatasaray | Super League | 2024/25 | 30 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | - | - | 41 | 37 |
| 2025/26 | 18 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | - | - | 25 | 17 | ||
| Total | 48 | 37 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 12 | - | - | 66 | 54 | ||
| Career total | 231 | 134 | 18 | 9 | 40 | 25 | - | - | 289 | 168 |
Notes
[a] UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League
[b] Super Cups, play-offs and other tournaments
Nigeria national team
As of 16 January 2026
| Year | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 7 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 8 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 | 5 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 |
| 2025 | 10 | 9 |
| 2026 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 51 | 35 |
Matches for the national team
As of 27 February 2024
- matches played: 35
- goals scored: 21
- wins: 21
- draws: 8
- losses: 4
Hat-tricks
As of 28 February 2024 Victor Osimhen has:
- 4 hat-tricks
- 3 times - scored 3 goals in a match
- 1 time - scored 4 goals in a match
Scandals with Victor Osimhen
During his career Victor Osimhen has several times found himself at the center of scandals and conflicts. The most notable episode occurred in 2023 during his time at SSC Napoli. The club published a humorous video on its official TikTok account mocking the striker for a missed penalty. The video caused a strong reaction from the player and his agent, who considered the publication offensive. Agent Roberto Calenda even stated that a possible lawsuit against the club was being considered, and the situation seriously strained the relationship between the footballer and the club's management.
In addition, Osimhen has several times been involved in disciplinary disputes with coaches and referees due to emotional behavior on the field. Despite these episodes, there have been no serious long-term sanctions or suspensions in his career, and most conflicts were eventually resolved.
