Osimhen Ends 2025 as Nigeria’s Top Scorer Shares Fifth Spot Globally With Messi -Gossip News Now

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Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen concluded 2025 in sensational fashion, emerging as Nigeria’s leading goalscorer and cementing his status among the world’s elite strikers.

The Nigerian international netted 46 goals in 52 appearances across club and country, placing him joint fifth globally alongside eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi. Remarkably, Osimhen reached the milestone in fewer games than Messi, who scored the same total in 54 outings.

Only four players finished above him on the international scoring charts: Kylian Mbappé led with 66 goals, followed by Harry Kane with 60, Erling Haaland with 57, and SSC’s Kevin Hernández with 48.

Osimhen’s prolific year included nine goals in 10 appearances for Nigeria, while his club form for Galatasaray was equally impressive. He scored 37 times in 42 matches, opening the year with a strike against Göztepe on January 4 and concluding with a goal in the 4-1 victory over Antalyaspor on December 13, just before joining the Super Eagles for AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

His goals powered Galatasaray to a league and cup double and earned him the Turkish Süper Lig golden boot, highlighting a stellar run across the 2024/2025 season and the early months of 2025/2026.

Trailing Osimhen on Nigeria’s scoring list were Cyriel Dessers with 22 goals for Rangers and Panathinaikos, Paul Onuachu with 15 at Trabzonspor, Tolu Arokodare with 14 goals including his first for the Super Eagles following a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Ademola Lookman with 13, whose tally was hampered by injuries and a mid-season transfer.