Victor Osimhen made Champions League history on Wednesday night, becoming only the second Nigerian ever to score a hat-trick in the competition as Galatasaray cruised to a 3–0 win over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam.
The Super Eagles striker was in sensational form, netting twice from the penalty spot and once from open play to inspire the Turkish champions to a memorable victory. His heroics also made him the first Galatasaray player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League since Burak Yilmaz achieved the feat against Cluj in 2012.
After a tight first half, Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 59th minute with a powerful header that flew past Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer. Seven minutes later, he converted his first penalty after VAR confirmed a handball by an Ajax defender.
The 26-year-old completed his historic hat-trick in the 78th minute, again from the spot, sending Pasveer the wrong way after Gerald Alders was penalized for another handball. His jubilant celebration in front of Galatasaray’s traveling supporters captured the significance of the moment.
Osimhen now joins Yakubu Ayegbeni as the only Nigerians to have scored a Champions League hat-trick. Yakubu’s came for Maccabi Haifa in a 3–0 win over Olympiacos back in 2002.
The former African Footballer of the Year has been in unstoppable form, scoring 12 goals in his last eight European appearances for Galatasaray. His tally includes braces against Tottenham and Bodø/Glimt, along with goals against AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, and Liverpool.
This latest performance also cemented Osimhen’s status as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League with 15 goals, surpassing Obafemi Martins’ previous record of 10.
The match marked another milestone in Osimhen’s career — his 50th appearance for Galatasaray and 20th in the Champions League — bringing him within one game of equaling Victor Ikpeba and Celestine Babayaro’s Nigerian record for UCL appearances.
With 25 goals in UEFA competitions, Osimhen has now surpassed Martins to become Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer in European tournaments, further solidifying his reputation as one of Africa’s greatest forwards.
