ISTANBUL — Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen signed off a scintillating Turkish Süper Lig campaign with a final flourish on Friday night, scoring his 26th league goal — and 37th in all competitions — in Galatasaray’s 2-0 win over Istanbul Basaksehir.
At a packed Rams Park brimming with emotion and expectation, Osimhen returned to the starting eleven after sitting out the previous match and instantly reignited the Galatasaray attack with his pace, power, and trademark aggression in the final third.
Veteran Belgian midfielder Dries Mertens gave the home side an early advantage, coolly converting a penalty in the 17th minute after Mauro Icardi was fouled inside the area. But the spotlight firmly belonged to Osimhen, whose performance suggested a farewell written in gold.
In the 81st minute, Osimhen delivered the moment the fans had been waiting for. Rising above his marker, he connected with a pinpoint cross from Sacha Boey and headed home with authority. The roar that followed was deafening, as supporters leapt to their feet to salute their star striker.
The goal marked his 26th in league play and extended his overall tally for the 2024/25 season to 37 across all competitions — a personal best for the 25-year-old Lagos-born forward. It was a fitting finale to a season that has seen him dominate Turkish football and cement his place among Europe’s elite attacking talents.
Substituted in the 88th minute to a standing ovation, Osimhen applauded the crowd, visibly moved by the emotional send-off. Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk embraced the striker on the sidelines, hinting that this might indeed be Osimhen’s final appearance in the yellow-and-red shirt.
“Victor has been phenomenal for us,” Buruk said in the post-match press conference. “His goals, leadership, and attitude have lifted the team throughout the season. Wherever he goes next, he’ll always be part of the Galatasaray family.”
Osimhen’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, with reported interest from top clubs in the Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga. While neither Galatasaray nor Osimhen’s representatives have confirmed his departure, the emotional scenes on Friday night suggested a fond farewell.
Fans across Istanbul and beyond took to social media to thank the striker for his contributions. Many recalled his match-winning hat-trick against Fenerbahçe in December and his stunning brace against Beşiktaş that propelled Galatasaray to the top of the league.
Signed from Napoli last summer in a record-breaking deal, Osimhen has more than lived up to expectations, leading Galatasaray to a second-place finish and a deep run in the UEFA Europa League.
As the curtain falls on the 2024/25 season, one thing is clear — Victor Osimhen’s name will be etched in Galatasaray folklore, regardless of where his next chapter begins.
For now, fans will celebrate a season of brilliance from their Nigerian talisman — and wait to see where the journey takes him next.
