The Rise of the Highest Paid Nigerian Footballer

The Rise of the Highest Paid Nigerian Footballer

Football is a sport that has captured the hearts of many Nigerians, and over the years, the country has produced some of the best footballers in the world. One of such footballers is Victor Osimhen, who is currently the highest-paid Nigerian footballer. In this article, we will take a closer look at Victor Osimhen’s rise to fame and how he became the highest-paid Nigerian footballer.

Early Life and Career

Victor Osimhen was born on December 29, 1998, in Lagos, Nigeria. He grew up in a family of six and was introduced to football at a young age. Osimhen started his football career with the Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos before moving to the Lagos-based club, Lagos Ultimate FC.

In 2015, Osimhen was invited to the Nigeria U-17 team, where he made a name for himself by scoring ten goals in the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Chile. His impressive performance in the tournament earned him the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards.

After the tournament, Osimhen signed a pre-contract with German club, VfL Wolfsburg, and officially joined the club in January 2017. However, his time at Wolfsburg was not successful as he struggled to make an impact and was loaned out to Belgian club, Charleroi, for the 2018/2019 season.

Breakthrough at Lille

Osimhen’s fortunes changed when he joined French club, Lille, in August 2019. He hit the ground running at Lille and quickly established himself as one of the best strikers in the French league. In his debut season, Osimhen scored 18 goals in all competitions and helped Lille finish fourth in the league.

His impressive performances did not go unnoticed, and in July 2020, he was signed by Italian club, Napoli, for a reported fee of €70 million, making him the most expensive African player in history at the time. Osimhen’s move to Napoli was a significant milestone in his career, and he was expected to lead the line for the Italian club.

Challenges at Napoli

Osimhen’s time at Napoli has been plagued by injuries and off-field issues. He suffered a shoulder injury in November 2020, which kept him out of action for several weeks. In January 2021, he was fined by the club for breaching COVID-19 protocols by attending a party.

Despite these setbacks, Osimhen has shown glimpses of his potential at Napoli. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 win over Atalanta in October 2020 and has scored a total of two goals in all competitions so far.

The Highest-Paid Nigerian Footballer

In November 2020, it was reported that Osimhen had signed a five-year contract with Napoli worth €4.5 million per year, making him the highest-paid Nigerian footballer. This is a significant achievement for Osimhen, who started his career playing for a local club in Lagos.

Osimhen’s rise to become the highest-paid Nigerian footballer is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport. He has overcome numerous challenges to reach this milestone and has shown that he has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the world.

Conclusion

Victor Osimhen’s story is one that inspires many young Nigerians who dream of becoming professional footballers. His rise from playing for a local club in Lagos to becoming the highest-paid Nigerian footballer is a testament to his talent and hard work. Despite facing challenges along the way, Osimhen has remained focused on his goals and has continued to improve his game. As he continues his career at Napoli, Nigerians will be watching closely, hoping that he can lead the line for the Super Eagles and become one of the best strikers in the world.

Camila Joseph

Camila Joseph is a blogger, writer, and admin of https://trendinghubnews.com/. She loves to express her ideas and thoughts through her writings. She loves to get engaged with the readers who are seeking informative content on various niches over the internet.