Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen achieved a historic feat by scoring twice on Wednesday night. This helped Istanbul’s Galatasaray secure the Turkish Cup with a decisive 3-0 victory over Trabzonspor, according to reports from PUNCH Sports Extra. Football enthusiasts and fans of Osimhen will find this news particularly engaging.

The Nigerian striker entered the final with 33 goals and needed two more to surpass the 34-goal mark set by Mario Jardel in the 2000/01 season. This context highlights the significance of Osimhen’s performance in breaking a long-standing record in Turkish football history.

He did just that, netting in the 46th and 63rd minutes to reach 35 goals in all competitions and lead Galatasaray to their 19th Turkish Cup title, a national record. Osimhen’s two goals were pivotal in Galatasaray achieving this milestone, further cementing his status as a key player.

Baris Yilmaz had opened the scoring for Galatasaray early in the fifth minute after a clever pass from Yunus Akgun. While Yilmaz’s early goal was crucial, the spotlight of the match undoubtedly remained on Osimhen’s record-breaking performance.

But it was Osimhen’s night. His first goal came just after the restart, a powerful low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner. This goal not only contributed to Galatasaray’s lead but also marked Osimhen’s first step towards breaking the coveted record.

His second was even more emphatic, a sharp turn inside the area and a curling effort into the top corner. This spectacular goal sealed both the victory for Galatasaray and Osimhen’s place in Turkish football history by surpassing Jardel’s record.

He has now also moved up the club’s all-time foreign goalscorers list, with 35 goals in 38 appearances, overtaking Brazil’s Mario Jardel. This achievement underscores Osimhen’s immediate impact and success since joining Galatasaray, quickly establishing himself as a prolific scorer.

Only seven other foreign players have scored more goals for Galatasaray, with Romania’s Gheorghe Hagi still leading the chart with 72. While Osimhen has broken a significant single-season record, he still has a way to go to top the overall foreign goalscorers list for the club.

Galatasaray can complete the domestic double with a win over Kayserispor on Sunday, which would secure their 25th league title. It would be the club’s fourth double in history, having last achieved the feat in the 1998–99 season. This upcoming match adds another layer of excitement for Galatasaray fans as they aim for further success this season.

The Super Eagles experienced mixed fortunes in the first FIFA rankings of 2025, dropping to sixth in Africa while moving up to 43rd globally.

Nigeria lost its fifth-place ranking in Africa to Ivory Coast, the current Africa Cup of Nations champions. However, the Super Eagles managed to climb one spot in the global standings due to Romania’s decline in the latest rankings.

This shift follows their 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, where Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, but was held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

With these results, Nigeria accumulated a total of 1481.35 ranking points, trailing Ivory Coast by six points.

Despite the ranking boost, the Super Eagles remain fourth in their World Cup qualifying group, putting them at risk of missing out on the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico—which would mark their second consecutive absence from the competition.

Meanwhile, Morocco retained its position as Africa’s top-ranked team, moving up to 12th globally.

Top Five African Teams:

1. Morocco (12th globally)

2. Senegal (19th globally)

3. Egypt (32nd globally)

4. Algeria (36th globally)

5. Ivory Coast (41st globally)

Global Top Five Rankings:

1. Argentina

2. Spain

3. France

4. England

5. Brazil

In other developments, Myanmar made the biggest climb, moving seven places to 162nd, while Guinea-Bissau suffered the biggest drop, falling eight places to 128th.

Additionally, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained the most points (+24.16), whereas Iraq lost the most (-29.46).

FIFA has announced that the next rankings update will be released on July 10, 2025, after the second international break of the year.

Former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, has passed away after collapsing during a boxing match in Ghana on Saturday.

Olanrewaju lost consciousness while competing against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at “Fight Night 15” of the “Ghana Professional Boxing League” at “Bukom Boxing Arena.”

It was gathered that he was ahead on points before the unfortunate incident occurred.

A video circulating on social media captures the moment he collapsed.

The boxing community is in mourning following his sudden passing.

Olanrewaju, a highly regarded figure in Nigerian boxing, had previously held both the “National” and “West African light-heavyweight” titles.

His impact on the sport in Nigeria and across West Africa has been widely recognized, with colleagues and fans honoring his legacy.