Victor Osimhen Rewards Academy Players With ₦10m, Shares Advice on How To Leave Trenches
- Victor Osimhen gifted 35 academy players ₦10 million during an inspiring virtual session
- The Super Eagles star urged young footballers to focus on faith, hard work, and education
- The 27-year-old forward shared personal lessons from his rise out of poverty to the top level of world football
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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has won widespread praise after gifting ₦10 million to players of Beyond Limits Football Academy, using the moment to motivate them with lessons drawn from his own journey out of poverty.
The surprise donation was made during a video call organised by popular social media influencer Abdulsalam Idris, also known as Smallie.
Source: Getty Images
Beyond Limits Football Academy, based at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, was founded in 2022 and currently competes in the Nigeria National League.
Osimhen’s donation is expected to support the players’ development and ease some of the financial pressures they face.
The session formed part of his YouTube documentary, The Side Of Football Nobody Talks About, which sheds light on the struggles young footballers face while chasing professional careers.
Smallie connected Osimhen directly with the 35 academy players, giving them a rare opportunity to hear from one of Nigeria’s most successful exports.
During the interaction, Osimhen stunned the youngsters by announcing:
I’m going to give you 10 million,” a statement that was met with cheers and disbelief.
Beyond the money, however, Osimhen focused on sharing practical advice, reminding them that his own rise was shaped by hardship and perseverance.
The Super Eagles striker spoke openly about growing up in difficult conditions and how football became his pathway out of poverty.
Osimhen advises young players
Osimhen, who played a crucial role at AFCON 2025 for Nigeria, told the players that their struggles were not unique, stressing that many professional footballers had faced similar challenges before making it big.
“I know what it’s like coming from the trenches, especially when you play football. Many of us, myself included, have gone through the same struggles that many of you are going through now.”
The Galatasaray forward identified three principles that helped him succeed. First, he urged them to believe in God. Second, he encouraged them to work hard and prepare mentally for rejection and failure.
Osimhen also emphasised the importance of staying in school and becoming educated, warning young players not to rely solely on football.
Osimhen’s rise from promise to fame
Osimhen’s message carried extra weight because of his remarkable journey.
Source: Getty Images
As seen on FIFA's official YouTube, the Galatasaray forward first rose to national fame in 2015 when he led Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
Since then, he has built a successful career across Europe, featuring for clubs such as Wolfsburg, Lille, Napoli, and Galatasaray.
At international level, Osimhen has become one of Nigeria’s most important players, helping the Super Eagles win an AFCON silver medal in 2023 and bronze medals in 2019 and 2025.
CAF salutes Osimhen after AFCON heroics
In another development, Legit.ng reported that CAF has released the key stats leaders at the recently concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, featuring three Super Eagles stars, including Osimhen.
The Super Eagles won the most games in a row (5), scored the most goals (14), three of which came on fast breaks and had the highest average possession with 66%.
Source: Legit.ng
