From uncertainty to inspiration, Victor Osimhen has revealed how a difficult period at VfL Wolfsburg became one of the most important learning phases of his career thanks to the arrival of legendary German striker Mario Gómez.
Speaking about his early struggles in Germany, Osimhen admitted that his time at Wolfsburg initially did not unfold the way he had hoped. The Nigerian forward, who was still developing as a young striker, faced challenges adapting and finding his rhythm at the club. However, everything changed when Gómez joined the team.
Rather than seeing the experienced striker as competition, Osimhen saw an opportunity to grow.
“My time at Wolfsburg didn’t go as I expected at first,” Osimhen said. “Then Mario Gómez arrived. He was a huge legend; an experienced striker, one of the most lethal forwards you can think of in world football.”
The Super Eagles star explained that Gómez’s arrival motivated him to remain patient and focus on learning the finer details of the game. Determined to improve, he reportedly approached the club director with a clear message about his intentions.
“I said: ‘I want to stay because I want to learn.’ I knew I still had time, so I wanted to learn,” he added.
Osimhen went on to describe how closely he observed Gómez during training sessions, studying every movement and detail that made the German forward so effective in front of goal.
“When we started training, I was watching this man, some of his incredible goals, his touches on the ball, how he read the game, the offside traps, everything. I was stunned,” Osimhen recalled. “Training with Mario Gómez was truly amazing.”
The story offers a powerful glimpse into the mentality that has helped Osimhen rise to become one of the world’s most feared strikers. Instead of allowing setbacks to discourage him, he chose humility, patience, and learning qualities that would later shape his remarkable journey through European football.
Today, Osimhen is widely regarded as one of Africa’s elite forwards, but his reflections on Gómez show that behind every great player is often a period of struggle, observation, and growth.
