There are few rivalries more intense than that between Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, and that tradition is set to continue as Victor Osimhen and the reigning league champions welcome their bitter rivals on Monday.
The animosity between the two sides, ironically, has its roots in a friendly match on February 23, 1934 — almost 91 years to this day — which started pretty amicably but ended up with riotous scenes on the pitch and in the stands that required police intervention and an abandonment of the game.
Over the years, Nigerians have tasted the spiciness of the fixture — popularly known as the Intercontinental Derby and, in this article, we present a comprehensive list of Nigerian players who have played in the highly competitive Intercontinental Derby.
Dominic Iorfa (Galatasaray, 1991-1992)
Dominic Iorfa, capped four times by Nigeria between 1989 and 1995, was the first of his countrymen to play in the derby following his move to Galatasaray in 1991.
His involvement, however, totalled less than 20 minutes in an eventual 5-2 loss, and it would be Iorfa's only appearance against Fenerbahce in a lone season in Turkey.
Uche Okechwuku (Fenerbache, 1993-2002)
Former Super Eagles captain Uche Okechukwu joined Fenerbahce shortly afterwards, and went on to face Galatasaray a Nigerian-record 14 times in a Fenerbahce shirt, celebrating victory as often as he ended up on the losing side (six) — both records, too.
Austin Jay Jay Okocha (Fenerbache, 1996-1998)
Austin Jay-Jay Okocha is the highest-scoring Nigerian in the fixture. He contributed four goals (and one assist) in the five games he played for Fenerbahce against Galatasaray.
The only game in which Okocha failed to score for Fenerbahce against Galatasaray was the 1995/96 Super Cup final — and in that came his solitary loss.
Okocha is fondly remembered by the Fener faithful for his standout performance in September 1996, where he scored a stunning free-kick and provided an assist in Fenerbahçe’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Galatasaray at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium.
Joseph Yobo (Fenerbache, 2010-2014)
During his time at Fenerbahçe, Yobo featured in eight encounters against Galatasaray, contributing to three victories, suffering two defeats, and seeing three matches end in a draw.
Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray, 2018-19, 2020-21)
Onyekuru featured in eight editions of the Intercontinental Derby, playing a key role in Galatasaray’s success with four victories, three draws, and just one defeat.
He directly contributed to five goals, registering two strikes and providing three assists.
Victor Moses (Fenerbache, 2018-2019)
In January 2019, Moses joined Fenerbahçe on an 18-month loan deal. During his time at the club, he featured in two Intercontinental Derby clashes, both of which ended in draws.
Peter Etebo (Galatasaray, 2020-2021)
Like Moses, Etebo featured in two Intercontinental Derby matches while on loan from Stoke City. He remained unbeaten in both encounters, as Galatasaray secured one victory and played to a draw in the other.
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbache, 2021- present)
Since joining Fenerbahçe from Queens Park Rangers in 2021, Bright Osayi-Samuel has featured in seven Intercontinental Derby clashes.
During this period, Fenerbahçe has secured three victories, suffered three defeats, and played out one draw.
The Nigerian full-back registered his sole assist in the fixture during Fenerbahçe’s 1-0 triumph in May 2024, setting up Çağlar Söyüncü for the match-winning goal.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, 2024- present)
Joining the Turkish champions on a season-long loan from Napoli in September 2024, Victor Osimhen made his debut appearance in the Intercontinental Derby during Galatasaray's 3-1 away victory over fierce rivals Fenerbahçe.
Although the Nigerian striker did not find the back of the net, he delivered an impressive performance, providing the assist for Dries Mertens’ goal in the 28th minute, which doubled Galatasaray’s lead.
