Victor Osimhen has ranked ahead of Mohamed Salah, Gheorghe Hagi, Wesley Sneijder and Roberto Carlos in a list of the most influential foreign players in Turkish Super Lig history.
Tolga Akdeniz placed Osimhen first, followed by Hagi, Salah, Sneijder and Roberto Carlos.
Osimhen Takes Top Spot
Osimhen earned the No. 1 position after his move to Galatasaray broke Turkish football’s transfer record.
Galatasaray signed the Nigeria striker permanently from Napoli for €75 million in 2025 after he spent the 2024-25 season on loan at the Istanbul club.
The deal surpassed the previous record of about €20 million, which Fenerbahce paid Sevilla for Youssef En-Nesyri.
Akdeniz highlighted the timing of Osimhen’s move because the striker joined Galatasaray at 25, when he remained one of the leading forwards in world football.
“Victor Osimhen’s move to Galatasaray takes the top spot because it completely defied expectations for big-name players moving to the Super Lig.”
Osimhen also scored 26 league goals during the 2024-25 campaign and helped Galatasaray win the Turkish league and Turkish Cup. He finished that season with 37 goals and eight assists in 41 competitive matches.
Salah Comes Third
Salah occupies third place after Hagi.
The Egypt captain joined Trabzonspor in August 2026 following his departure from Liverpool, where he scored 257 goals in 442 appearances and won major trophies including the Premier League and Champions League.
Trabzonspor welcomed Salah with a large reception at the club’s stadium as the 34-year-old began his first Super Lig campaign.
His arrival puts two of Africa’s leading forwards in the same Turkish league, with Osimhen at Galatasaray and Salah at Trabzonspor.
Hagi Stays Ahead Of Salah
Hagi takes second place after his influential Galatasaray career.
The Romanian midfielder joined Galatasaray in 1996 and became one of the club’s most recognised foreign players. He won four Turkish league titles and the UEFA Cup with the Istanbul side.
That record places Hagi above Salah in Akdeniz’s ranking.
Sneijder And Roberto Carlos Complete The List
Sneijder occupies fourth place after his two-and-a-half-year spell with Galatasaray.
The Dutch midfielder joined the club from Inter Milan in January 2013 and won two Turkish league titles, three Turkish Super Cups and one Turkish Cup.
Roberto Carlos takes fifth place after his time at Fenerbahce.
The Brazilian defender joined the Istanbul club in 2007 after a long career with Real Madrid and Brazil. He spent two seasons in Turkey before returning to Brazil.
Top Five Foreign Players In The Turkish Super Lig
- Victor Osimhen – Nigeria
- Gheorghe Hagi – Romania
- Mohamed Salah – Egypt
- Wesley Sneijder – Netherlands
- Roberto Carlos – Brazil
Osimhen’s first-place position puts the Nigerian ahead of four players with established careers in Turkish football.
