Nigeria has become the first African nation to have players score hat-tricks across all three major UEFA club competitions, highlighting the country’s status as a hub of football talent, writes Peter Akinbo.
Victor Osimhen – Champions League
On November 5, 2025, Victor Osimhen etched his name into UEFA history by becoming the second Nigerian to score a Champions League hat-trick, leading Galatasaray to a 3–0 win over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam.
The Super Eagles striker scored twice from penalties and once from open play, marking the first time a Galatasaray player achieved this feat in the Champions League since Burak Yilmaz in 2012. Osimhen’s treble also extended his record as Nigeria’s top scorer in the competition with 15 goals, surpassing Obafemi Martins’ previous record of 10.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni – Champions League
Years earlier, Yakubu Aiyegbeni had become the first Nigerian to score a Champions League hat-trick. On September 24, 2002, the former Super Eagles forward netted three goals on his debut against Olympiacos, securing a 3–0 victory for Maccabi Haifa and announcing his arrival on Europe’s biggest stage.
Ademola Lookman – Europa League
On May 22, 2024, Ademola Lookman delivered one of the most memorable individual performances in European finals, scoring a hat-trick to secure Europa League glory for Atalanta against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin.
Lookman’s three goals ended Leverkusen’s 51-match unbeaten streak and made him the first player to score a treble in a Europa League final. It was also only the sixth hat-trick in a major UEFA final and the first in over 35 years.
Gift Orban – Europa Conference League
Gift Orban made history by scoring two hat-tricks in the UEFA Europa Conference League, including the fastest treble in UEFA club competition history. In Gent’s round of 16 second leg against İstanbul Başakşehir, Orban netted three goals in just 3 minutes and 25 seconds, surpassing records previously held by Mohamed Salah and Patson Daka.
Orban also scored another hat-trick in the 2023/24 Europa Conference League against Pogoń Szczecin in the third qualifying round, leading Gent to a 5–0 victory.
These remarkable achievements underscore Nigeria’s growing influence and talent pipeline in European football, further cementing the country’s legacy on the continental stage.
