Paul Onuachu Wins Nigerian Baller of the Week After Turkish Cup Final Brace for Trabzonspor

Paul Onuachu has been named the Nigerian Baller of the Week for the concluding round of the 2025/26 European club season, capping a dominant final stretch with a brace and a Man of the Match award in Trabzonspor’s Turkish Cup Final victory.

The towering Super Eagles striker opened the scoring before adding a second goal to secure the cup title for Trabzonspor, with fellow Nigerians Tony Nwakaeme and Chibuike Nwaiwu also featuring in the winning side. The multi-goal display dismantled the opposition and delivered Trabzonspor the prestigious domestic honour.

Onuachu’s Turkish Cup heroics gave him the edge in a competitive weekly poll that also featured Kelechi Iheanacho and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Iheanacho contributed as an impactful substitute to help Celtic complete a domestic double, while Dele-Bashiru’s performances in Italy drew comparisons to a certain prolific English striker, according to reports. Despite the quality on show from both players, Onuachu’s decisive two-goal contribution in a cup final proved the more compelling case.

The victory represents a significant piece of silverware for the Nigerian contingent at Trabzonspor and brings Onuachu’s club season to a memorable close. The striker now turns his attention to international duty, with Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle set to welcome him into the national team camp next week ahead of June friendly fixtures against Poland and Portugal.

Onuachu is expected to anchor the Super Eagles frontline alongside Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman for those high-profile European friendlies, arriving with considerable momentum after his cup final performance.

Meanwhile, a separate, largely experimental Super Eagles squad — which includes 12 uncapped players, according to reports — was preparing to open the Unity Cup defence in London against Zimbabwe around the same time as the Turkish Cup Final took place. Coach Chelle has publicly stated that the Unity Cup exercise is focused on player development rather than purely on winning the trophy.