By Monsurah Olatunji
Nigeria star Victor Osimhen carved his name into Galatasaray folklore on Saturday night, scoring the opening goal in a 3-0 victory over Kayserispor that secured the club’s record-extending 25th Turkish Süper Lig title.
Yet amid the roar of celebration at Rams Park, it was not just the goal that captured hearts—it was who announced it.
In a touching twist on a cherished Turkish tradition, Osimhen’s young daughter, Hailey, took to the stadium’s loudspeakers to proclaim her father’s name after his pivotal strike.
Her proud and joyful voice echoed across the packed stands, elevating an already emotional moment into one of pure family pride.
Osimhen’s 27th-minute header not only opened the scoring but marked his 36th goal of the season across all competitions.
In doing so, he surpassed Mario Jardel’s 24-year-old record for the most goals scored by a foreign player in a single Süper Lig campaign—further cementing his legacy in Turkish football history.
While Galatasaray’s emphatic win sealed a domestic double and granted the club the honor of wearing a fifth star on its badge, the night’s emotional highlight belonged to the Osimhen family.
Hailey’s heartfelt tribute added a deeply human layer to the night of triumph, transforming a historic footballing achievement into a celebration of fatherhood, heritage, and the powerful connection between sport and family.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
