Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has recounted how he saved his family members from hardship following the rise in his football career.
The 20-year-old, who enjoyed a breakthrough season last term at Sporting Charleroi, said life was difficult for his siblings after his mother’s death and father’s joblessness.
He continued by saying his father lost his job three months after his mother’s death.
According to him, his brother hawked sports newspapers, while sister sold oranges in the street.
In addition to that, the Nigerian international also said he earlier sold bottled water in Lagos traffic to help his family survive.
He also recounted how he once joined his friends to scavenge for crampons and shoes at the former Olusosun dumpsite in Oregun-Ojota area of Lagos.
But after the meteoric rise in his career, Osimhen said his family members are now living the life they deserved.
“It was very difficult, when I lost my mother, it became tougher after my father lost his job and everything was very hard for us.
“We did not have enough to eat, but now I can give my family everything they want, since I became a professional. I’ve been able to quickly break the deadlock and give them the life they deserve,” Osimhen told BeIN Sport.
However, Osimhen came into the global football stage after a successful outing in the FIFA U17 World in Chile with the Golden Eaglets squad, and later secured a move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, where he played 14 top-flight games in two seasons.
Though, he struggled to establish himself in the German club and therefore, secured a move to Belgium, where he played the entire 2018/19 season and scored 12 goals in 25 league matches.
Subsequently, he was signed by OSC Lille of France where he has seven goals in nine Ligue 1 matches so far this season.
And lastly on the international stage, Osimhen was in Super Eagles’ squad that played 2-2 against Ukraine in a friendly game at the Dnipro Arena on September 10 and he scored Nigeria’s second goal.
He was also among the squad that faced Brazil in an international friendly recently in Singapore and he will thereby be looking to maintain his form for the Super Eagles as they prepare for 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Benin.
