Nigeria and Leicester City striker Ademola Lookman won’t forget his ‘baptism of fire’ as he made his long-awaited international debut for the Super Eagles of Nigeria. The on-loan from RB Leipzig forward finally made his international debut for Nigeria after switching from England. He featured from the bench against Ghana in the first leg of a World Cup playoff in Kumasi-Ghana, replacing Moses Simon in the second half as the sides played out a 0-0 draw.
It comes after Lookman switched his international allegiance from England to Nigeria in a drawn-out process over recent months, with the change officially confirmed in February.
He was quickly named in the 25-man squad for the double-header against Ghana and played both legs of the match, which, unfortunately, did not go down well for Nigeria.
Taking to the social media after the game, the City man said: “I’m extremely proud and grateful to have made my Super Eagles debut. Thank you, God, for the opportunity. It means everything to put on the shirt and represent my country. Making my debut for the Super Eagles was beautiful. The atmosphere in the Kumasi stadium was really amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Though the second leg in Abuja finished 1-1, and Ghana qualified ahead of Nigeria on the goal advantage rule, Lookman said it was a disappointing time for all Nigerian players. “I was a difficult match. Ghana came with a game plan and we missed some important changes. The players felt deflated. We were sure the match would go our way.”
However, he’s not having any regret twitching committing his senior level to his fatherland-Nigeria. He noted that, though he has put the World Cup disappointment behind him, he would be happy to be a part of the Super Eagles again.
OLD MEMORIES
Lookman said returning to Nigeria also rushed back memories of old.
He is, however, extremely, grateful to return to Nigeria-his roots, though he was born and raised abroad.
“Life was tough growing up,” he stated, as he remembered his childhood in Peckham-U.K. “There were some nights when I didn’t have … how can I say this? I didn’t have the best of food. I also didn’t have certain things when I was younger. It was a real struggle for my mum and she had to take care of all of us. She did the best she could and she made sure there was food on the table and that I had clothes to wear. Everything I could ask of my mum, she gave me. I was happy but, as you get older, you realise how difficult it must have been for her.”
Lookman is one of the most interesting and talented young footballers in England. He was ignored by all London’s professional clubs until the age of 16 as he followed an unusual journey through football. Early in 2018, having played for Charlton before moving to Everton and the Premier League, Lookman’s “stubbornness” was questioned by Sam Allardyce when he insisted on joining RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga rather than being loaned to Derby County in the Championship.
LIFE AT EVERTON
Lookman scored memorable goals on his debuts for Everton and Leipzig but he is now back in London and on loan from the German club to Fulham. He has illuminated Premier League games this season, amid the difficulties Fulham have faced, while also suffering from a botched attempt at a Panenka penalty which devastated him briefly. But his calm resilience was forged during those testing times in Peckham.
“Most definitely,” Lookman says. “A lot of it was to do with being the only boy as well. I was willing to step up and do something for my family. I wanted to make my mum and my sisters proud. That was definitely one of my objectives – and it still is today. Both of my parents are Nigerian and my two older sisters were also born in Nigeria. So I was the only one out of us to be born here. My dad and my one sister were in Nigeria and so my mum was bringing up me and my other sister all on her own. She was working all kinds of jobs – cleaning jobs and anything she could take. She was always looking for work.”
Football offered an escape and Lookman savoured the pleasure it gave him. “I liked playing football because I was good at it but also because I was having a lot of fun with my friends. Football gave me a new sense of energy and enthusiasm. It was freedom too. We would play in different places around south-east London and beating teams in certain areas was a big thing. I grew up around Peckham and Camberwell and there were so many estates there.
“Everybody knows the talent that comes out of south-east London. Growing up, a lot of my friends were just as talented as me. To this day I question why we didn’t all make it. As I got older my love for football grew stronger and stronger. I thought that maybe I could make it.”
Was he worried that his dream of playing professionally seemed to recede with every passing year? “I was only concerned when I turned 16 because in school you start to apply for college. It really hit me then – this may be the route I need to go down. That was when I thought: ‘I need a breakthrough.’ And that’s when God came through and I got my opportunity.”
Lookman was selected to play for London Counties in a friendly against Charlton’s academy team in 2013. “I started that game on the bench but someone got injured and they put me on. We lost the game 1-0 but Charlton liked what they saw and they invited me back.”
Lookman dazzled that afternoon and Charlton were incredulous he had not been snapped up by any other club. “I felt like a door opened that day,” he concedes in his quiet way. “But I didn’t feel that until the moment when, after the game, they said
First-half goals from him and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall set the Foxes on their way at King Power Stadium and although Wilfried Zaha halved their advantage after the hour mark, Brendan Rodgers’ men held on for the win.
“It was a very strong performance against a strong opposition,” the 24-year-old told LCFC TV during his post-match interview. “From us, the unit, togetherness, all the qualities were there today. I think we battled hard, especially in the first half, and I feel like we dominated a lot more.
“But in the second half, coming out, they put the pressure on us, and obviously they got the penalty, but I think after that we showed resilience and we stayed together, and we won the game. That’s the most important thing.”
Lookman hopes he can continue to turn heads, score goals and get call-ups to the Super Eagles.