Victor Osimhen has revealed the painful moment that nearly pushed him to quit football. The Galatasaray striker recalled his time at Lille when his father’s health was deteriorating in Nigeria. While he desperately tried to return home, he says his former representatives focused on completing a multi-million-euro transfer instead, a situation that caused him immense emotional turmoil.Nigerian striker Osimhen has opened up about the painful moments surrounding his father’s death, revealing how the tragedy unfolded during a difficult period in his career. Osimhen explained that his father’s health began to deteriorate a few years after he completed his move to Lille. As the Covid-19 pandemic spread, his father was hospitalised in Nigeria while the striker remained stranded in France. The Nigerian forward said he desperately tried to secure permission to travel and check on his father, seeking help from both his club and his representatives, as he faced the heartbreaking situation from afar.The 27-year-old recalled the horrifying moment he learned of his father's passing over FaceTime, having been denied the chance to say goodbye in person. "I remember I threw the phone and I just went crazy," Osimhen revealed. "I tore up the entire house. Smashed everything. I was out of my mind. The noise made my neighbours come over to check on me, and I love my neighbours. They were like family to me when I was alone in France. For five or six hours, he stayed with me, and he probably stopped me from doing something stupid."The frustration was compounded by the fact that he felt the sport was being prioritised over his humanity. "I just felt so guilty, because all of his children and grandchildren were there with him. Only one person was not by his side. Me. I was so angry. I snapped. I thought, 'If this is football, then what is the point? I just want to be with my family.' I called my former agent, and I said, 'Can I go bury my father?' He said, 'Go ahead. But come back Friday.' I thought, 'Friday? To hell with football.'"Osimhen admits he arrived at Napoli in 2020 as a broken man, carrying deep-seated anger and grief. However, he credits former Partenopei boss Luciano Spalletti with providing the emotional support he lacked during his final days in France. "When I came to Napoli, I was found," he said. "I really have to thank the city and the fans and my teammates for turning my life around. I remember the first meeting I had when I arrived, I told the coach, Mr. Spalletti, 'I am not well. I am very angry right now. Very sad. My head is not straight.'"Spalletti’s approach was exactly what the striker needed to channel his energy back onto the pitch. "He was like a father to me. When I wasn’t doing something right, he came for my neck. But he believed in me deep in his soul, I swear. He thought I could be the best in the world. I would score two goals in a game, he’d come to me in the dressing room and go head-to-head with me. When he wanted to tell you something, he would put his head very close to yours and almost whisper: 'Cazzo!! You could have scored four today. I will show you the video tomorrow.'"The bond between the pair culminated in the 2022-23 season, where Napoli ended a 33-year wait for a league title. Osimhen’s goals were the catalyst for a city-wide explosion of joy, cementing his legacy in Italian football history. He recalled a poignant moment with a fan: "Right before we won the Scudetto, there was a crowd of fans outside our training ground. I stopped my car to shake their hands, and a guy was there with his son holding up his phone. It was a video from when Maradona was there in the ’80s. The guy didn’t speak any English. He had tears in his eyes."The emotional weight of that achievement is something Osimhen carries with pride, noting that the fan told him: "For 1,000 years they will remember you. When we are all dust, they will remember you." For a player who grew up next to a landfill in Lagos, the achievement was about more than just a trophy. "To win a title is one thing. But to win a Scudetto for Napoli for the first time in 33 years is true history. This is why I play football, for this feeling," he added.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingFollowing a complicated exit from Naples, Osimhen surprised the footballing world by choosing a loan move to Galatasaray. Despite being advised against the move by some in the industry, the striker maintains he followed his heart to Istanbul. "When I left Napoli, do you know how many people told me, 'Do not go to Turkey. Are you crazy?' A former agent even told me, 'No, no, no. Don’t go there. It’s not a smart move.' But I think with my heart. I wanted to play for Galatasaray."For Osimhen, the choice was about finding a fanbase that matched his own intensity. "I wanted to go to a top three club in the world in terms of passion. Those are the kind of people who really understand me. When I spoke to Okan Buruk on the phone, before I signed, he told me, 'I’m here to tell you that I personally, as a person and as a coach and as a father, I want you in my club.' When the flight landed, there were 3,000 Gala fans waiting for me in the middle of the night. That feeling is worth more than money."