Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen etched his name into Turkish football history on Wednesday night, scoring twice to break the single-season scoring record for a foreign player as Galatasaray stormed to a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor to capture the Turkish Cup.
Heading into the final clash with 33 goals across all competitions, Osimhen needed just two more goals to surpass the long-standing 34-goal record set by Brazilian striker Mario Jardel during the 2000/01 campaign. With goals in the 46th and 63rd minutes, Osimhen took his tally to 35, propelling Galatasaray to a record-extending 19th Turkish Cup title.
Galatasaray wasted no time asserting dominance in the match, with Baris Yilmaz netting the opener in the 5th minute, capitalizing on a precision pass from Yunus Akgun to give the Istanbul giants an early advantage.
But it was Osimhen who stole the spotlight at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium. His first goal came almost immediately after the break — a powerful, low-driven strike from just outside the area that nestled into the bottom right corner of the net. The second was an exhibition of finesse and technique, as the Super Eagles star received the ball inside the box, executed a sharp pivot, and curled a sublime effort into the top corner beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.
With his double, Osimhen not only rewrote the record books but also climbed the ranks of Galatasaray’s all-time top-scoring foreign players. His 35 goals in just 38 appearances have moved him ahead of Jardel on that list, with only seven international players now ahead of him — Romania’s Gheorghe Hagi remains top with 72 goals.
This triumph also puts Galatasaray within striking distance of a domestic double. The club is set to face Kayserispor this Sunday, where a win would seal their 25th league title and mark their fourth-ever double — a feat last accomplished in the 1998–99 season.
Wednesday’s performance underscores Osimhen’s pivotal role in Galatasaray’s resurgence and has further cemented his legacy as one of the most lethal strikers to ever grace the Turkish football scene.
