‘We both congratulate each other’ - Onuachu speaks positively on rivaly with Osimhen

The 2025/26 season saw Onuachu clinch the league's top scorer award, netting an impressive 22 goals and providing two assists in 30 appearances for Trabzonspor. 

His performance saw him secure the Turkish League 2025/26 Golden Boot, beating Osimhen to the award.

This achievement came just one year after Osimhen took the league by storm in his first season with Galatasaray. 

Contrary to creating friction, Onuachu insists the competition for top honours has only strengthened the bond between the two Super Eagles teammates, pushing them both to improve.

In an interview with Turkish publication 61Saat, the 32-year-old striker downplayed any notion of a personal feud, emphasising that competing against a compatriot has been mutually beneficial.

"There will always be competition. Competition adds something to you," Onuachu stated. "There are important strikers like Osimhen in the league. Last year I managed to become the top scorer."

The former Southampton player highlighted the mutual respect that defines their relationship, even as they vie for individual accolades.

"We both congratulate each other. When one of us achieves success, we congratulate each other. I called and spoke to them when they won the league," he explained. 

"It’s a good thing to play and compete with someone from the same country. When he wins, I congratulate him, and when I win, he congratulates me."

While Osimhen's title-winning 2024/25 campaign set a high standard for strikers in Turkey, Onuachu responded the next season emphatically by claiming the top scorer prize himself. 

With both forwards expected to continue with their clubs, another exciting chapter in their friendly goal-scoring battle appears set to unfold, promising benefits for Trabzonspor, Galatasaray, and the Nigerian national team alike.