UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2025/2026 matchday 4 ushered in a new record for Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen as he grabbed his first hat-trick in the away fixture against Ajax.
This marked his second hat-trick in less than a month after he scored thrice in the must-win 2026 World qualification match against Benin Republic, which ended 4-0, securing the playoff spot for his country.
In the same fashion on the turf of Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Osimhen elevated his status in the annals of football history as he netted thrice to grab the victory for his Turkish based club Galatasaray
The former African Footballer of the Year opened his goal account in the Champions League in the match between French Ligue 1 club Lille versus Chelsea in 2019.
Six years later, his Champions League goal tally has increased to 15, marking a major milestone in his European career.
The UEFA Champions League matchday 4 fixture saw Osimhen open the scoring in the 59th minute with a header and later converted two penalties to complete his treble.
*Six records from Osimhen’s unforgettable night*
-After the treble, Osimhen became the second Nigerian to score a hat-trick in the competition, following Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s 2002 feat for Maccabi Haifa.
-He ended the drought of hat-trick for his club, becoming the first Galatasaray player to achieve a Champions League hat-trick since Burak Yilmaz in 2012.
-Additionally, he became the first Galatasaray player to score a brace in two consecutive European games and to earn the club’s MVP award in three successive Champions League matches.
-On the national scene, Osimhen surpassed Obafemi Martins as the country’s top scorer in European competitions, reaching 25 goals.
-Oshimen scored in his eighth consecutive European game, extending his scoring streak to eight straight UEFA matches. He is closing in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of scoring in eleven consecutive European games.
-He is currently leading the goalscorers’ chart of the Champions League with six goals this season ahead of Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe.
*Oshimen’s race to lead UCL goal scorers with 6 goals*
Oshimen’s race did not begin from Matchday 1 as he missed the match against Frankfurt. Galatasaray suffered defeat after the match.
Matchday 2 witnessed the presence of the Nigerian forward as he scored the only goal in a home win over Liverpool to set the path of victories for his club.
It was not an exemption during Matchday 3 as the lanky striker grabbed a brace in a 3-1 victory over Bodø/Glimt before progressing to a grabbing a treble at Ajax on Matchday 4.
Osimhen overtook Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé in the race to become 2025/26 UEFA Champions League top scorer on Matchday 4, moving to six goals with a hat-trick against Ajax.
Mbappé began his scoring streak in this season with a brace helping Real Madrid to victory against Marseille on Matchday 1.
The France international opened the scoring at Kairat Almaty on Matchday 2 before he got a brace from open play in the second half to seal the first hat-trick of the 2025/26 Champions League prope
Kane, meanwhile, has scored in three of Bayern’s four wins so far, finding the net twice against both Chelsea and Pafos before also getting in on the act in a 4-0 defeat of Club Brugge.
Haaland started the season by becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in Champions League history and has not looked back since, scoring in each of Manchester City’s three matches since – his latest a powerful finish against former club Borussia Dortmund.
The joint top goalscorers for 2024/25 were Serhou Guirassy Borussia Dortmund) and Raphinha (Barcelona) with 13 goals.
*It’s time to make a statement in Champions League- Osimhen*
Commenting on his performances, Oshimen reaffirmed his commitment to support his club to deliver better performance in the Champions League.
In an interview with UEFA, Osimhen stressed that the Turkish based club is hungry to express dominance in the Champions League.
“I spoke with the president when I arrived here, and we want to really make a statement in the Champions League. We want to show that, in Türkiye, we are the team that the whole world will know this year because we actually did something amazing in Europe.
“We’ve dominated the league for years. We will keep on dominating it, but now it’s time to make a statement in the most prestigious games, Champions League games, because it’s beautiful when you play in the Champions League. So, for us, we want to make a statement,” he said.
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