Osimhen overtakes Obagoal, becomes Nigeria's all-time top scorer in European competitions

Victor Osimhen has once again etched his name into football history, becoming Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in UEFA club competitions after a sensational hat-trick against Ajax.

The Galatasaray forward’s electric performance in Amsterdam not only silenced his critics but also propelled him past Obafemi “Obagoal” Martins’ long-standing record.

Ajax boss John Heitinga had talked a big game before kickoff, promising to “neutralise” the explosive Super Eagles striker.

But when the whistle blew, Osimhen turned that pre-match confidence into pure regret for the Dutch side. The 26-year-old striker opened the scoring in the 59th minute with a clinical header, exploiting exactly the defensive gaps Heitinga had warned about.

Moments later, he added two ice-cold penalties, both awarded after VAR decisions, to seal his first-ever Champions League hat-trick and Galatasaray’s third straight European win.

By the time he was taken off in the 80th minute, Ajax’s backline had been completely dismantled and their defensive plan shredded into pieces.

Osimhen’s performance did not just earn Galatasaray three points, it carved his name deeper into Nigerian football folklore.

With 25 goals in just 35 UEFA matches across Lille, Napoli, and now Galatasaray, he surpassed Obafemi Martins’ record of 23 goals in 64 European appearances.

In a single night, Osimhen reminded everyone why he is the face of Nigerian football’s new era and pure chaos for defenders.

Nigeria will be hoping to have Osimhen keep up his goalscoring form when the Super Eagles take on Gabon in the first of their World Cup qualifying playoff games in the middle of November.