Nigeria: Victor Osimhen warms up for crucial World Cup play-off with Champions League hat-trick

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·6 novembre 2025

Nigeria: Victor Osimhen warms up for crucial World Cup play-off with Champions League hat-trick

The Galatasaray striker has scored six goals in just three Champions League appearances this season

Victor Osimhen cemented his name in the history books after scoring a Champions League hat-trick for Galatasaray against Ajax on Wednesday.

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Osimhen broke the deadlock just before the hour mark as he met Leroy Sane’s cross with a brilliant stooping header. He then successfully converted two penalties to complete his treble and seal victory for the Turkish side.

In doing so, Osimhen has become Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer in UEFA club competitions with 25 goals in 35 matches, overtaking Obafemi Martins (23) in the process.

Of those goals, six have been scored this season as the 26-year-old has been on a remarkable run in Europe thus far, netting the winner against Liverpool as well as a brace in the 3-1 victory over Bodo/Glimt last month.

As a result, the striker is currently the leading scorer in the Champions League, above the likes of Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe who are all on five goals.

“We have a goal. We know what we want, and we know the magnitude of performance you need in the Champions League,” Osimhen said after the game.

“We want to match up with the elite. It won’t be easy, but we’ll go step-by-step. We have the individual quality to do damage to every team.”

Osimhen’s goalscoring form bodes well for Nigeria ahead of their crucial second round World Cup play-off semi-final against Gabon next week.

Osimhen netted a stunning hat-trick as the Super Eagles beat Benin last month to guarantee themselves a play-off spot and keep hopes of featuring at next summer’s tournament alive.

Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon and DR Congo will play a mini tournament in Morocco to determine a single team that will go on to compete in an inter-continental play-off in March for a place at the 2026 World Cup.