Osimhen has had a good career so far but his long-term future is now a concern

Victor Osimhen has always been destined for greatness ever since he broke out at the 2015 U17 World Cup.

Osimhen had finished as the top scorer in the competition as Nigeria's Golden Eaglets won the title in South Korea. 

Immediately after the competition finished, it was clear that Nigeria had a gem that could go on to break Rashidi Yekini's record and become world-class. 

It was not all smooth sailing for Osimhen after the U17 World Cups. The 23-year-old joined Wolfsburg after the competition but battled injuries and malaria, which almost ended his career before it started. 

However, Osimhen is a fighter, a trait he has embodied from the beginning of his career. The 23-year-old bounced back from his early travails, kickstarting his career again at Royal Charleroi before moving to Lille. 

Osimhen's time in Belgium was the beginning of a successful career. He scored 20 goals for Charleroi in his sole season before moving to Lille, where he scored another 18, including 13 in the French Ligue 1. 

He spent just one year in France before sealing a club-record move to Napoli in 2020. Osimhen has continued in the same vein in Naples, scoring ten goals in his first year and 18 last season, although fans still want more. 

But while Osimhen has had a decent career so far, can he go on for the long term? This is not a question about his ability, as it is clear that he has the quality. However, the doubt over Osimhen's ability to maintain his level for a long time is down to the number of injuries he has had in his career. 

No matter how talented a player is, injuries take a toll, which affects them to perform at a high level at a certain age. Most players who played at a high level deep into their 30s managed their bodies well and suffered minimal injuries during their younger years. 

Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luis Suarez, and many others whose level did not drop in their 30s never got injured consistently in their younger years or suffered major injuries. 

In contrast, players who had promising careers at their younger ages but had short peak years suffered injuries consistently, and some failed to manage their bodies properly. 

Eden Hazard, for example, is already past it, even though he is just in his early 30s. The Belgian international was on the receiving end of some poor tackles in his peak years and even played with a brace on his ankles for two years.

Ronaldo and Owen were two of the most explosive youngsters in football history but had a short peak period due to their battle with major injuries. 

Osimhen risks falling into these categories of players with a short peak period unless he learns how to manage his body on the football pitch. 

Since the 2016/2017 season, the Nigerian international has been out for 496 days and counting due to injuries and illness. While his time out due to malaria is not necessarily an issue, his injury problems are worrying, which could affect his long-term career. 

In Napoli, as an isolated case, Osimhen has missed a massive 45 games due to separate injuries and coronavirus. In his first year, he was out for 83 days after picking up a shoulder injury on international duty and coronavirus following his recovery. 

The same season, he missed another three games due to a head injury, just a month after recovering from his shoulder injury and coronavirus. 

Last season, Osimhen was out for another 54 days, missing 12 games due to a cheekbone fracture after colliding with Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar. During his period of recovery, he caught Covid-19 on a trip to Nigeria, ruling him out for two more games. 

This season, he has missed three games already after picking up a hamstring injury against Liverpool and could still miss more, depending on his recovery process. 

This is not ideal for Osimhen if he wants to perform at a high level for a very long time. While injuries are part of the game, especially in a sport like a football, Osimhen can still do a lot to avoid some of his injuries. 

No doubt, he is a player that gives all his energy on the pitch, but it should not come at the risk of getting injured. While it is a good thing that he is a fighter, he should also learn how to pick his battles.

There is no point in challenging for every ball, especially if it is not winnable. It is important that he starts applying more intelligence to his game, which reduces more of his physical efforts, even though that is his biggest strength. 

Football is more about the brain and less about the physical, which is what Osimhen needs to understand. He does not need to chase and challenge for aimless passes at the risk of getting injured. 

Not only that, but it will even give him more respect among his teammates because right now, Osimhen has failed to exert himself in Napoli's squad. 

It was expected that he would be the main man following Lorenzo Insigne's exit, but he has been overshadowed by Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who only arrived at the club this summer. 

If he does not adapt his style by becoming smarter, he will never exert himself as the main man at the club and will always remain a hustler, which increases his chances of getting injured. 

And considering speed and power is his strength, it is hard to see him maintaining the same level for a long time if he keeps getting injured. 

However, at 23, Osimhen can still adapt his style by playing smarter to enjoy a long and sustainable career at the top level.