Just like many other boys his age, Victor Boniface dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, at a very young age, he left his hometown of Akure and traveled to Lagos State to join Real Sapphire Academy.
Victor impressed everyone at Real Sapphire Academy, and his skills earned him a move to Europe at the age of 18. He joined the Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt in 2019 and even received a call-up to join the Nigerian Under-20 side.
However, just two weeks after signing with Bodo/Glimt and seven days before the Under-20 Nations Cup, disaster struck. Victor suffered a knee injury during training, tearing his ACL. This meant he had to sit out for six long months, missing both the Nations Cup and his debut for the new club. It was a huge blow for the young 18-year-old.
Despite the setback, Victor didn’t give up. He returned to the field with just three games left in the season and managed to score a goal. The following season, he scored six goals and provided three assists in 24 games, helping Bodo/Glimt win their first-ever Norwegian League title. It was a moment of celebration for the team, and Victor had already secured a transfer to Club Brugge in Belgium for the next season.
However, tragedy struck again. After celebrating his team’s league title, Victor woke up one day with a swollen knee. He thought it was nothing serious, but it turned out he had torn his ACL once again. This time, the injury was even worse, and he was ruled out for over 12 months. Not only did he lose his transfer to Club Brugge, but he also lost his beloved mother.
At just 20 years old, Victor had already faced two career-threatening ACL injuries and the loss of his mother. He felt like giving up on football and asked the club to let him return to Nigeria. He stopped caring about his diet, started living a normal life, and sought happiness through partying and drinking.
But Victor’s story didn’t end there. He underwent surgery and held onto his faith in God. Five months into his recovery, he received a call from his agent, informing him that some club directors were interested in him and wanted to know when he would be fit to play again. This gave Victor the motivation to train harder and make a comeback.
Victor returned to the field and showcased his talent. He scored a goal every two games for Glimt, which earned him a move to Union Saint-Gilloise(USG) in Belgium. There, he finished as the joint-top scorer in the Europa League, scoring six goals in ten games. In the Belgian League, he scored seven goals and provided seven assists. His outstanding performances caught the attention of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, who splashed €20 Million to acquire him.
Since joining Bayer Leverkusen, Victor has been unstoppable. He has torn the German league apart, scoring and assisting goals with ease. He has been recognized as the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for four consecutive months and even won the Bundesliga Player of the Month for August. He has become one of the best young attackers in the world.
Many Nigerians had high hopes for Victor to deliver in the AFCON, but unfortunately, he suffered a groin injury during training camp in Dubai, ruling him out of the competition with just six days to go. However, everyone believes that Victor Boniface, with his elite mentality, will come back stronger and lead Bayer Leverkusen to victory.
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