Essential Ndubuisi
SUPER EAGLES and Napoli star, Victor Osimhen, in an interview with compatriot, William Troost-Ekong, on YouTube has opened up on his journey to becoming a professional footballer and how he did menial jobs to survive.
Osimhen, who was born in Lagos, completed an €80m deal to move from Lille to Napoli in the summer of 2020 becoming the most expensive African player of all time.
The 22-year-old, a product of Ultimate Strikers Academy, made his breakthrough when he signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Wolfsburg in 2017.
In his debut season in Naples, the Nigeria international scored 10 goals in 24 Serie A appearances at Stadio Maradona.
However, in the video posted on the Troost-Ekong YouTube page, the Napoli striker opened up on his road to stardom.
“It all started like a dream, a boyhood dream from the slum,” the 22-year-old said in an interview with his compatriot, Troost-Ekong on YouTube.
“I wanted to become a professional player, inspired by a lot of big legends like Didier Drogba, Odion Ighalo, Mikel Obi and many others.
“I feel like I have achieved this feat, it’s one of my biggest achievements in life,” the former striker added.
“Most people are familiar when I say this because they have come through even worse (situations) than mine and where I grew up, nothing is promised there because whatever you want to get, you have to work so hard for it.
“I remember when I was growing up, I was cleaning the gutters for 20 Naira, for my landlord and did some cleaning jobs for my neighbours close to my house, fetch water for 80 Naira, I think.
“I found pleasure in doing these things because I believed when I worked so hard to get this money, it was important for me. I had consciousness on how to spend this money and help my family.
“While growing up, my brother was selling newspapers, my sister oranges. I was in the traffic with water and I’d had to chase cars, give them water to get the money. I feel like these struggles helped me in life.
“I am grateful for where I am today because of what I’d been through, it shaped me into the man I am. I am really grateful to God for that.”
