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Nigerian stars have always been among the elite in European competitions
Nigeria has a storied football history, with its players shining on various international stages. One area of particular note is their contribution to UEFA club competitions, where several Nigerian stars have etched their names in history with hat-trick performances.
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From Jay-Jay Okocha's brilliance to Ademola Lookman’s recent exploits, these players have showcased their exceptional talents in Europe’s premier tournaments.
Jay Jay Okocha — Frankfurt vs Iraklis, UEFA Intertoto Cup 1995
Ever the trailblazer, Jay Jay Okocha was the first Nigerian to record a hat trick in a UEFA competition. Playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, the midfield magician delivered a stellar performance in a 5-1 demolition of Iraklis in the UEFA Intertoto Cup on July 8, 1995.
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Okocha went on to have a stellar career with the Super Eagles as well as in Europe, representing clubs like Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bolton Wanderers.
Michael Obiku — Feyenoord vs Liepajas Metalurgs, UEFA Cup Winners‘ Cup, 1995
Just months after Okocha’s feat, Michael Obiku joined the list with his hat-trick for Feyenoord in a commanding 6-0 win over Liepajas Metalurgs in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
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While Okocha went on to become a household name thanks to his career with club and country, Obiku could not enjoy similar success.
Despite becoming a cult hero in Cyprus with Anorthosis Famagusta, Obiku only managed five appearances with the Super Eagles, scoring only once.
Ayegbeni Yakubu — Maccabi Haifa vs Olympiacos, UEFA Champions League, 2002 and Everton vs Brann, UEFA Cup 2008
Yakubu Aiyegbeni achieved the rare feat of scoring hat-tricks for two different clubs in UEFA competitions and is the only Nigerian player to bag three goals in one game twice in Europe.
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His first came for Maccabi Haifa in a 3-0 win against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League on September 24, 2002.
Yakubu repeated the achievement with Everton in the UEFA Cup, netting three goals in a 6-1 rout of Brann on February 21, 2008. It is no wonder he is revered as one of Nigeria’s finest strikers in history.
Moses Simon — Trencin vs Vojvodina, UEFA Europa League, 2014
Super Eagles winger Moses Simon announced himself on the European stage with a hat-trick for Trencin in the Slovak side’s 4-0 victory over Vojvodina during the UEFA Europa League qualifiers on July 17, 2014.
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The then-youngster showcased his pace and skill, becoming at the time the youngest Nigerian player to score a European hat-trick at the tender age of 19.
Simon has since gone on to have a successful career with Nantes in France, as well as becoming a regular feature of the Super Eagles.
Kehinde Fatai — Astra Giurgiu vs Liberec, UEFA Europa League, 2014
Just a few days after Simon made history against Vojvodina, Kehinde Fatai delivered a memorable performance for Astra Giurgiu in a 3-0 triumph against Liberec in the UEFA Europa League.
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In addition to his hat-trick, Fatai also registered an assist in the first leg of Astra Giurgiu’s Europa League qualifier against Vojvodina, helping his side to a superb 6-2 win on aggregate.
Unfortunately, Fatai was never able to take his talents to the Super Eagles, despite scoring four goals in seven matches with Nigeria’s U23 side.
Aminu Umar — Osmanlispor vs Zimbru, UEFA Europa League, 2016
Aminu Umar joined the list with a stunning hat-trick for Osmanlispor in a 5-0 thrashing of Zimbru on July 21, 2016, in the UEFA Europa League qualifying stage.
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Umar was one of Nigeria’s most promising stars, after finishing as the top scorer of the 2013 African Youth Championship before going on to score twice at the U20 World Cup.
In the same year that he scored a hat-trick in the Europa League, Umar also starred for Nigeria in the Olympic Games, scoring in the quarterfinal as the Dream Team won a bronze medal.
Paul Onuachu — Derry City vs Midtjylland, UEFA Europa League, 2017
Paul Onuachu added his name to this exclusive club with a hat-trick for Midtjylland in a 4-1 win over Derry City in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers on July 6, 2017.
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The towering striker’s dominance in the air and sharp finishing were on full display as he put Derry City to the sword to announce himself as one of the hottest potentials in Europe at the time.
Onuachu currently turns out for Southampton in the Premier League and is a familiar face in the current Super Eagles team.
Adeleke Akinyemi — Ventspils vs Luftetari, UEFA Europa League, 2018
Akinyemi delivered an unforgettable performance for Ventspils, netting four goals in a 5-0 win against Luftetari in the UEFA Europa League on July 12, 2018.
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The Nigerian forward ended up scoring seven goals in four Europa League qualifying campaign, although Ventspils were ultimately unsuccessful in making the group stage of the competition.
Sadly, his exploits in the Europa League were all that Akinyemi had to hold on to that year, as an ankle injury kept him sidelined for the rest of the domestic season.
Ademola Lookman — Atalanta vs Bayer Leverkusen, UEFA Europa League final, 2024
The most recent addition to this illustrious list is Ademola Lookman. The dynamic forward netted a hat-trick for Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen on May 22, 2024.
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Lookman’s performance was a masterclass as he became the first player in the history of the Europa League to score three goals in a final, helping Atalanta secure their first European trophy.
His achievement earned him a place in the 2024 Ballon d’Or, where he finished 14th, as well as a nod for the CAF African Men’s Player of the Year award.
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