Nigerian international Victor Osimhen made history on Wednesday night, setting a new Turkish football record for the most goals scored in a single season by a foreign player, as Galatasaray cruised to a 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor to win the Turkish Cup.
The final, held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, saw Osimhen put on a commanding display, scoring twice to help Galatasaray lift their first Turkish Cup in six years — and their record-extending 19th title overall.
Heading into the game, Osimhen had already netted 33 goals in all competitions this season. He needed two more to surpass the long-standing record of 34 goals set by Brazilian striker Mario Jardel during the 2000/01 campaign. He achieved that feat in style, scoring in the 46th and 63rd minutes to finish with 35 goals.
Baris Yilmaz opened the scoring early in the fifth minute, converting a slick through pass from Yunus Akgun. But the night ultimately belonged to Osimhen, whose sharp instincts and clinical finishing left a lasting mark on the match.
His first goal came just seconds after halftime—a low, powerful strike from the edge of the box that flew into the bottom right corner. Seventeen minutes later, he added a second, spinning away from his marker inside the area before curling a precise shot into the top corner.
With the brace, Osimhen not only broke Jardel’s record but also moved up Galatasaray’s list of all-time top foreign scorers. He now has 35 goals in just 38 appearances, overtaking Jardel’s tally for the club. Only seven other foreign players in Galatasaray’s history have scored more, with Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi still leading the pack with 72 goals.
The win puts Galatasaray on the brink of a domestic double. They will face Kayserispor on Sunday in a decisive final league fixture, where a win would hand them their 25th league title and their fourth-ever domestic double — a feat last accomplished in the 1998–99 season.
Osimhen’s performance has not only cemented his status as one of the season’s standout stars but also added another chapter to his rapidly growing legacy in European football.
