Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has revealed he plans to return to school and pursue a university degree once his football career comes to an end.

Speaking in an interview with Instablog TV, Osimhen reflected on life beyond football, noting that a playing career typically lasts only 20 to 25 years before it’s over. He said earning a degree is something he is genuinely considering, describing it as a lesson life itself has taught him beyond what he learned in a classroom.

He explained that while he has other options to fall back on after retiring from the game, completing a degree would still matter to him personally, saying he wants to “set a standard for the younger generation.”

Osimhen also had a message for young people who had to abandon their education due to financial or personal hardship, stressing that returning to school remains possible no matter how much time has passed.

The 2023 African Player of the Year’s own journey has been shaped by early hardship. Born in Lagos as the youngest of seven children, he was raised in the Olusosun area near one of the city’s largest landfills, and sold sachet water and other goods in traffic to help support his family after his mother’s death and his father’s job loss. He attended Olusosun Primary School before joining Ultimate Strikers Academy, where his talent was developed and eventually caught the attention of national team scouts.

His breakthrough came in 2015, when he was named top scorer at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile with 10 goals, helping Nigeria win the title. He made his senior Super Eagles debut in 2017 and has since gone on to represent Nigeria at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, in 2019, 2023, and 2025.