When people talk about Victor Osimhen, it’s usually about the goals, the trophies, and those unforgettable nights in Istanbul where he fired Galatasaray to glory as the 2024–25 Turkish Lig top scorer, Footynaija.com gathers.
The narrative also celebrates a Super Eagles striker on the path towards Nigeria’s all time scoring record, a forward whose name now carries weight across Europe. But behind all the buzz and silverware is a chapter that almost stopped it all before it began.
Before Belgium, the Olusosun-born striker had left Wolfsburg carrying more questions than answers. In a football world where first impressions often become permanent judgments, he faced a double setback when he failed medical tests at Club Brugge and Zulte Waregem because of a knee injury.
But as Felice Mazzù, who was Charleroi coach at the time, explained in a report by RTBF, the club made the decision to take a chance on Osimhen.
The moment that changed everything
According to the Belgian manager, Osimhen walked into the club with uncertainty in his stride, carrying the weight of two failed medicals and the fear of fading out before he had even started.
“Victor arrived at our club limping; he had been rejected by Bruges and Zulte Waregem, injured in the knee he was unable to pass his medical tests,” he said.
“But our doctor Frédéric Borlée told me: Leave him with me for a few weeks and I will get him back in shape. In fact, a month later, he was fit. A little later, I brought him up to Beveren… and he scored with a backheel. Victor never left the first team again,” he continued.
Training, according to Mazzù, revealed the true foundation of his rise.
“In training, he was a monster of power, speed, and willpower. Victor devoured everything, chased down every ball, and made all the runs; he always wanted to score. He gave 100 percent, never holding back. He had this constant thirst for victory, which meant that even in small sided games, he would complain when he lost.”
He then spoke about a young man who listened, learned, and took in everything around him.
“On a personal level, he was very receptive and listened to anything that could help him improve. He was a striker, but not at all selfish. He was sure of himself and what he wanted, but not arrogant in the slightest. Sometimes he would get angry in the locker room… that is how much he had this burning desire to win and succeed. A true fighter. Of all the strikers I coached at Charleroi, I put him at the top, ahead of Kaveh Rezaei and Jérémy Perbet.”
By the end of that season, Osimhen had tallied 20 goals and 4 assists in 36 appearances in a breakout campaign that caught the attention of top clubs across Europe.
His performances convinced Lille to act, completing a €23 million transfer that set a new record for Sporting Charleroi. Looking back, Osimhen described the move to Charleroi as “a key moment” in his career, telling Tutto Napoli it was the place where everything started to come together.
