Since moving to Italy in 2020, Victor Osimhen has been one of the poster boys for the Serie A. When Napoli splashed a club-record fee of €70 million to sign him from Lille, he was expected to lead them into a new era of success.
So far, though, the Super Eagles forward has exceeded all expectations. For a club that has seen some great strikers pass through their locker room in recent years, including Gonzalo Higuain and Edinson Cavani, it’s such a great deal that it was Osimhen who powered them to their first league title in 33 years.
His 26 goals also made him the first African footballer to win the top scorers’ gong in the Italian top-flight, while the success he achieved with Napoli effectively rubber-stamped his ascension to the throne of CAF Footballer of the Year.
Aside from the Nigerian’s prolificacy in front of goal, he’s also clutch and his catalogue of goals set him apart. He’s a striker who likes to roam and is blessed with the ability to score with both feet as well as his head.
Times Victor Osimhen defied physics to score or provide an assist
Osimhen’s dribbling may not be flawless but he’s a fighter and that means he’s able to bulldoze his way past defenders when he wants to, as evidenced by some of his assists to his teammates at both club and international levels.
Afrik-Foot takes a look at three times the former Wolfsburg player defied physics to put the ball in the back of the net or assist a teammate to score:
Osimhen’s record-breaking flying header against Spezia
In February 2023, Victor Osimhen scored one of the best headers ever seen in the game when he leapt 2.58 meters to direct the ball into the net during Napoli’s 3-0 win against Spezia in the Serie A.
A miscue by a Spezia defender had seen the ball loop back into his own box. With the goalkeeper rushing out to claim the loose ball, Osimhen moved quickly to out-jump him and the other defenders before heading the ball into the net.
The goal also saw Osimhen surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s jump record in Serie A after the Portuguese forward leapt 2.56 meters to score against Sampdoria in 2019. It is worth noting, though, that the record for the highest jump in Serie A is held by Fikayo Tomori, who jumped 2.61 meters to score against Juventus in May 2021.
Osimhen’s incredible assist after taking on an entire defence
Another occasion where Victor Osimhen defied physics was when he took on almost an entire defence of his way to providing an assist against Cagliari last season.
The 25-year-old had already opened the scoring for Napoli but they were pegged back just three minutes later following a cool finish by Leonardo Pavoletti.
With Napoli needing some inspiration to find the winner, Osimhen grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and produced a moment of magic that led to his side’s second goal.
The striker was on the end of Giacomo Raspadori’s short cross, and after controlling the ball with his chest, he flicked and juggled it keepie-uppie style to skip past a sea of bodies before laying a low cross for Khvicha Kvaratskheli to score from close range.
Victor Osimhen’s stunning header against AC Monza
Osimhen’s latest physics-defying moment came in Napoli’s 4-2 victory over AC Monza in the Serie A. Having trailed 1-0 in the first half, Osimhen stepped up to restore parity early in the second half with an incredible header.
The former Lille striker jumped 2.23 meters high to meet Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's cross, drawing parallels with the jump shots in basketball.
Osimhen appeared to have hurt himself after his gravity-defying jump, which led to his idol Didier Drogba saying: “I saw Victor score that goal against Monza. Oh God! He got hurt, I thought. I wouldn't have gone for that ball, it's crazy. An absurd goal!”
