Ademola Lookman-Nigeria relationship has so far been productive, but it wasn’t easy getting the pair together for a start.
It wasn’t love at first sight between the reigning king of African football and the giants of the continent but time has proven it was all worth the hassle.
For years, the Nigerian Football Federation wooed the winger, who was born and bred in Greater London and had developed great affection for England, after all, he was a young Lion having represented the country at youth level.
The first contact came as far back as 2017, when he was only 19 and had just signed a long-term contract with top-flight side Everton from Charlton. He turned down the approach of Gernot Rohr, and went on to be part of the young Lions that won the country’s first-ever U-20 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals in the tournament.
The CAF Player of the year winner had turned down Nigeria three times before the NFF announced in 2020 that the player will switch international allegiances from England but again, he went on to deny the report in an interview.
Acceptance of Rejection, and Acceptance of Fate
With his 25th birthday looming and neither cap nor call up by the Three Lions, the NFF’s efforts finally bore fruit as Ademola Lookman decided to look elsewhere for international commitment as he continued to get overlooked by the then England boss, Gareth Southgate.
His U-turn and decision to accept the invite to service with the Super Eagles of Nigeria coincides with his run of good fortune, as the man who was once tagged ‘Everton Flop’ is now the king of football in a continent of more than 1.5 billion people.
Two years into his time with Nigeria, Ademola Lookman appears as though he couldn’t get a thing wrong when he was unsettled few years back.
After failing to make his mark in England and Germany, the Charlton Academy alumnus embraced an adventure to Italy, and there he found his muse, which has not only benefited himself and his club, but as well three-time African champions, Nigeria.
Ademola Lookman: The Prodigal Son Turn National Treasure
Lookman had a remarkable outing in his first major tournament outing with Nigeria, which unfortunately ended in defeat in the final to host Ivory Coast in the 2023 AFCON.
Yet, he was still one of the country’s best performers, scoring the overall most goals in the knockout stages of any player in the tournament. He, alongside the other member of the squad where honored with a Member of the order of the Niger by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their outstanding display.
Ademola Lookman numbers for the Super Eagles of Nigeria;
- 27 caps
- 8 goals
With his club, Atalanta, he did not only made Nigeria proud but the whole of Africa, when he scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final last May, because he became the first-ever African to do so in a European final.
He was the only African to receive a Ballon d’or nomination in 2024, finishing 14th, giving the continent quality representation in an awarded otherwise dominated by European.
Lookman has not slowed down in the ongoing season, and is pushing Atalanta beyond their limits. The Bergamo club sits top in Serie A while also putting in huge shifts in the UEFA Champions League, where he already has two Player of the Match awards in five appearances.
Ademola Lookman for Atalanta since the start of season;
- 64 games
- 28 goals
- 15 assists
He was Nigeria’s top scorer in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers and was literally the country’s best player, despite only coming in recently, Lookman has made himself at home amidst the coaching inconsistencies at Super Eagles.
The Glory, Post the Story; A Mutualistic Relationship
In Marrakesh on the 16th of December 2024, the Atalanta man was crowned CAF Men’s Player of the year, becoming the sixth Nigerian to win the award, moving the country level with Cameroon as nations with most different winners of the most prestigious prize in African football.
It was also Nigeria’s seventh title, with only Kanu Nwankwo winning twice, in 1996 and 1999, helping Nigeria overtake Ghana and Ivory Coast as outright second for nations with most titles, behind only Cameroon, with 11.
Ademola Lookman-Nigeria Going Forward
The relationship between Ademola Lookman and Nigeria has so far been fruitful and productive. For a nation with rich history and a player of great talent and hunger for more success, it will only get better in the coming years.
The 27-year-old will hope to first help Nigeria secure the ticket to the next FIFA World Cup in North America when the qualification campaign restart next year, and will hope to go one better in the next AFCON tournament.
In the company of players like Victor Osihmen and others, the future holds so much promise for Nigeria. However, the NFF also have to play their part by appointing a qualified coach to handle the team.
Nonetheless, Ademola Lookman, looking back on his decision to switch international allegiances to Nigeria will have no regret, while the NFF must also take credits for their efforts to see the dream come to existence.
The relationship between the two parties now describes a mutualistic relationship they teach in Biology, where two come together to form a beneficial association, and one continues to thrive and so does the other.
Hassan Afolabi
