Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen delivered a masterclass performance, scoring a historic hat-trick to lead Galatasaray to a commanding 3-0 victory over Ajax in their UEFA Champions League clash in Amsterdam. This pivotal win not only propelled the Turkish champions closer to the knockout stages but also reaffirmed Osimhen’s status as one of Europe’s most formidable forwards.

Osimhen’s first goal in the 59th minute was a testament to his tactical brilliance and anticipation. Describing his decisive movement, he said, “I had to go in front of the defender, act like I was going ahead, then go behind him, so he couldn’t figure out where I was.” The move caught Ajax’s backline off guard, allowing him to meet Leroy Sané’s inch-perfect cross with a bullet header that opened the scoring and dismantled John Heitinga’s defensive setup.

The Nigerian striker continued his dominance, converting two second-half penalties. The first came after a VAR review confirmed Youri Baas handled the ball in the box, with Osimhen coolly finding the bottom corner in the 66th minute. The second, awarded after Anton Gaaei’s foul, was blasted into the top-right corner, sealing his hat-trick and Galatasaray’s emphatic win. He was later substituted to a standing ovation in the 81st minute.

The performance shattered multiple records. Osimhen became the first Galatasaray player since Burak Yılmaz in 2012 to score a Champions League hat-trick and the first to record consecutive UCL braces. He also surpassed Obafemi Martins’ record to become Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in European competitions with 25 goals. Moreover, he joined Yakubu Aiyegbeni as the only Nigerians to achieve a Champions League hat-trick and now leads this season’s scoring chart ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.

Despite Ajax’s defeat, coach John Heitinga praised Osimhen’s quality, admitting that the first goal “was a real centre-forward finish.” The loss leaves Ajax bottom of their group, while Galatasaray surged to second place with nine points, strengthening their knockout hopes.

Following the match, Osimhen expressed confidence in Galatasaray’s ambitions: “We have a goal. We know the magnitude of performance needed in the Champions League,” he said. “We have the individual quality to do damage to every team.” His performance drew widespread acclaim from across Europe, with stars like Ilkay Gündoğan and Mario Lemina calling him “unstoppable.” Osimhen will now shift focus to international duty as Nigeria prepare to face Gabon in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff semifinal.