Lookman Ademola, a king-in-waiting
Our London-based contributor Abdus-semiu Osho x-ray Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman's Player of the Match performance in Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League against defending champion Real Madrid and his chance in the December 16, 2024, African Footballer of the Year Award
Next Monday, in the beautiful city of Marrakech, a new king of African football will emerge. And without a doubt, Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman is the overwhelming favourite.
He is expected to replace compatriot and last year's winner, Victor Osimhen, as the fifth Nigerian to win the African Player of the Year award, which was founded in 1992 by the continent's top football body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994) and Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999) are the other Nigerians who have won the trophy.
Indeed, Lookman is already in the running for the 2025 edition of the award following his blistering start to the season. But let's not put the cart before the horse.
On Tuesday night in Bergamo against the best team in Europe, Real Madrid, the Nigerian star reminded football followers across the world that his performances over the last two years for Atalanta were no flash in the pan. And to CAF, there is no other player who deserves to be crowned next week than him.
Although the Série A leaders Atalanta lost their first game since September, Lookman left the match with the UEFA Player of the Match award. It was his second in the Champions League (also won for Atalanta's away win at Shakhtar Donetsk in October) and sixth overall this season.
Despite strong performances from the likes of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr., who were both on target for Madrid in their 3-2 win, Mola, as the Super Eagles star is fondly called, was a nightmare to Carlo Ancelotti and his men all night.
Madrid's defensive trio of Lucas Vazquez, Aurélien Tchouameni and Toni Rudiger and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to make top interventions at different times to foil the impact of the Atalanta winger.
Twice, he nearly set up Charles De Ketelaere. And Courtois had to stop him too earlier in the second half before he found his way against the Belgian goalkeeper with the same strike, a near-post finish into the bottom corner.
As Madrid frantically tried to fend off the late onslaught from the home team, Lookman fired a brilliant left-foot cross that needed a tap-in from two yards out in the final minutes of added time, but the Argentina-born Italian international failed to control his strike. It looked easier to score than miss, but the European champions took all three points.
Lookman went home with his second Player of the Match five days after earning the same award in Atalanta's huge victory over AC Milan where he scored the late winner. The former Everton and Fulham forward has now scored 11 goals and assisted five others in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Italian club in the2024/2025 campaign.
Former England international Glen Hoddle was mesmerised by the winger's trickery and likened his moves to those of France international Kylian Mbappe.
Top British football writer, Henry Winter wrote on his X (Twitter) after the Madrid game: "How good was Ademola Lookman again tonight? Eight goals in the last nine games, quick and inventive again. Atalanta could easily have drawn from that brilliant late cross by Lookman that Retegui missed."
The plaudits above have been a consistent theme in Lookman's game throughout the year for Nigeria and Atalanta. He has developed to be one of the top wingers in Europe and became the only African player to be nominated for the coveted Ballon d'Or Award in 2024.
He was the heart of the Super Eagles attack as they finished with a silver medal at the African Cup of Nations tournament in February, surrendering the title to host Ivory Coast with a late goal, at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
Lookman also led Atalanta to end Bayer Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten season with an incredible hat-trick in the Europa League final at the Dublin Arena in May to win their first trophy in 61 years. It was a 3-0 win that was a touch of destiny for the Nigerian, who had fittingly had the last touch as referee Istvan Kovacs of Romania blew the final whistle.
Born in Wandsworth, London, Lookman has witnessed a resurgence in his career in the last two years after his struggles following spells at Charlton Athletic, Everton, Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City.
His decision to move to Italy has paid off. He found a settled home in Bergamo and a great coach in Gian Piero Gasperini, who has unlocked the talent Charlton saw when they took him to their academy in 2014 from a local youth side, Waterloo FC.
After playing for England youth teams, he switched allegiance in 2022 to play for Nigeria where his parents were born. The decision seems to have played a huge part in taking his game to another level and when he is eventually crowned Africa's top player in a few days in Morocco, Lookman would have completed an unforgettable ride in 2024.
Good luck, Mola!
