Though he has been among the goals in the Serie A in this campaign, Nigeria international Ademola Lookman was the unlikely hero going into Wednesday’s Europa League Finale in Dublin .
But the names on the lips of everyone in the end was that of the Wandsworth- born lad who only in 2022 switched allegiance to play for Nigeria rather than England.
Lookman undoubtedly made the Europa League Final his own after his stunning yet historic hat trick saw Atalanta earned their Holy Grail by not only winning their first European silverware but the first Italian team to win the trophy since it the old European Cup Winners Cup was fused together with the UEFA Cup in 1999.
Named Hankook Player of the Match after his hat-trick won the UEFA Europa League final in Dublin for Atalanta, the UEFA Technical Observer panel’s assessment of the Nigerian’s performance said it all: “For obvious reasons and his all-round enthusiasm and energy. Really sharp and his execution was spot on.”
Lookman anticipated Davide Zappacosta’s ball across the box to open the scoring, then hit a brilliant individual second on 26 minutes. A threat all night, he became the first player to score a Europa League final treble after Gianluca Scamacca played him through to smash in Atalanta’s third on 75 minutes.
“I’ve always had the confidence in my ability to create, to score goals, to help my team-mates,” the 26-year-old said in the post-match press conference. “In the past two years I’ve been able to take my game to a whole new level. Maybe [my best form] could have come earlier, but it’s come now. This is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this and to just keep getting better and better.”
It is the sixth time that a player has scored a hat-trick in the final of a major UEFA club competition. Ferenc Puskás hit four for Real Madrid against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 European Cup final, and then hit three against Benfica in the final of the 1962 competition.
Alfredo Di Stéfano also scored three for Madrid in that 1960 final, while Pierino Prati scored three against Ajax for Milan in the 1969 showpiece. The only previous hat-trick in a UEFA Cup or Europa League final was scored by Jupp Heynckes, as Mönchengladbach beat Twente in the 1975 decider.
Lookman is only the third Nigerian player to find the net in a UEFA Cup or Europa League final, after Alex Iwobi in Arsenal’s 4-1 loss to Chelsea in 2019 and Joe Aribo, who scored Rangers’ goal as they lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt two years ago. He is also only the third Nigerian to appear in a final win in the competition, after Taribo West (Inter Milan, 1998) and Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moskva, 2005).
After the game, he said that playing international football for Nigeria had helped him to raise his game. “It’s incredible [to play for Nigeria],” he explained. “The support and the love I get back home from the people is unbelievable. It gives me the motivation to evolve in different areas – as a person, not just in my game.”
For the majority of his life and career, though, he lived in England after being born in Wandsworth, south London. With the level of form he’s shown recently, he’d have been a strong contender for a place in the Three Lions’ set-up as Gareth Southgate’s side prepare for Euro 2024 – but he’s now ineligible for selection after he chose to switch national allegiances in 2022.
Speaking about his decision to play for the Super Eagles ahead of the three Lions , Lookman told The Times that it was entirely his choice and one of the biggest reasons for the move was his desire to play international football.
“It was nothing to do with my parents because they wouldn’t really tell me to go here or there. I wanted to build a career internationally. The decision was something that I thought about for a long time before making it. To play for Nigeria is an honour first of all and the best decision I ever made. I’m happy I made it.”
Born and raised in England, Lookman represented the Three Lions at several different youth levels before he made the switch to Nigeria. First, he played five times for the Under-19 side, before he moved up to the Under-20 team. It was here that he saw the most success, winning the Under-20 World Cup with England in 2017. He also scored five goals for the nation in 15 appearances at this level.
Following this success, he moved up to the Under-21 level, and played a further 11 times for the nation, scoring one more goal. He made his final appearance for England at any level in 2019 and, after a period away from international football, he decided to make that switch to Nigeria’s senior team in 2022, and it’s all paid off for him so far.
After deciding to switch to Nigeria in 2022, Lookman told CafOnline that the move was a natural one. Being raised by Nigerian parents, he had already built a sense of community with the nation, and it didn’t feel like an unusual switch for him.
“Both my parents are Nigerians, and I’ve always seen this [representing Nigeria] as a possibility. I came to Nigeria, frequently when I was much younger. I am familiar with the people and have built up a family here, so the switch from England to Nigeria is not an unusual one for me. I am glad I made the switch. I hope to create great and memorable memories.”
He certainly delivered on that front too, with some very impressive showings for Nigeria. In fact, Lookman was crucial to the nation’s strong showing during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations which saw them go all the way to the final before falling short against Cote d’Ivoire.
He scored three really important goals during the tournament and while his side didn’t lift the trophy, he came away an even bigger star for them. The decision to play for Nigeria instead of England is one that has paid off for the forward.
