Why I nearly quit football before joining Napoli – Victor Osimhen

Nigeria and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has shared the painful story of how he almost gave up football after losing his father during the Covid-19 period, Afrik-Foot reports.

Osimhen grew up in deep poverty in Lagos and lost his mother when he was still very young. His father later watched him rise through the game, from shining at youth level for Nigeria to playing in Europe for VfL Wolfsburg, Royal Charleroi SC and Lille OSC.

His big breakthrough came at Lille, where he scored 13 league goals and earned the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award that opened the door to a move to SSC Napoli.

But just as that transfer was close, tragedy struck. Osimhen’s father fell seriously ill and was taken to hospital in Nigeria. Because of the coronavirus lockdown and problems with his former agent, the striker was unable to travel home to see him.

Victor Osimhen flew over 20 family members and friends from Nigeria to Italy to celebrate Napoli’s trophy win with him. pic.twitter.com/pW94gR3UTY

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) June 6, 2023

Not long after, his father passed away, and Osimhen says the pain nearly pushed him away from football forever.

Victor Osimhen: ‘If this is football, then what is the point?’

Speaking to The Player’s Tribune, Osimhen described the darkest moment of his life in powerful words.

“When I moved from Wolfsburg to Lille a few years later, his health started failing. I was away all the time,” Osimhen said.

“Then during the beginning of COVID, he went into the hospital. I was stuck in France, all alone.

“Football was shut down. The airports were shut down. I was calling my agent, trying to arrange a private flight to Nigeria. I even got clearance from the aviation authority to land. I just needed the club and my agent to say I could leave.

“I was waiting, waiting, waiting.

“He was getting worse.

“So I started panicking. I was calling every hour, begging them.

“But that’s when I started to understand the dark side of football. The business. They wanted to sell me, you see? They were discussing a transfer. So my former agent kept telling me, ‘Well, it’s complicated. Just wait. Just wait.’“

Osimhen then recalled the moment he found out his father had died.

“I went downstairs and I had 20 missed calls from my family. I called my brother back on FaceTime, and he said, ‘He’s gone.’

“Then he turned the camera and showed me my father.”‘You should say goodbye….'”

The striker said he completely lost control.

“I remember I threw the phone and I just went crazy. I tore up the entire house. Smashed everything. I was out of my mind.”

He added that a neighbour stayed with him for hours to calm him down and may have stopped him from doing something dangerous.

“I just felt so guilty, because all of his children and grandchildren were there with him.

“Only one person was not by his side. Me.

“I was so angry. I snapped.

“I thought, If this is football, then what is the point? I just want to be with my family.”

Osimhen even told his agent he no longer cared about the game.

“I thought, ‘Friday? To hell with football.’

“When I flew back home, I really thought that maybe I would never play football again.”

After those painful months, Victor Osimhen eventually completed his move to Napoli and turned his career around in stunning fashion.

He went on to become one of the best strikers in Italy, winning major individual awards, finishing as top scorer in the league, and helping Napoli lift their first league title in 33 years. He is now the highest-scoring African player in the history of Serie A.