Ademola Lookman: How a Super Eagle found his way home
Born to Nigerian parents in England.
In 2017, he scored a brace in the last 16 to help England beat Costa Rica 2–1. He followed that up with another goal against Italy (3–1) to help England qualify for the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. England ultimately beat Venezuela 1–0 to win that tournament. This was the first time England was winning a global football tournament — men and women — since the 1966 World Cup.
Eligible to play for Nigeria and England, the former made the approach for Lookman to play for its senior national team in 2017. That didn’t work out as intended for coach Gernot Rohr. Nigeria tried again in early 2018. Same result. Then later in 2018 and he turned Nigeria down again having been promised by England coach, Gareth Southgate, that he was part of his plan for the Three Lions.
By 2020, it had become apparent Lookman wasn’t in Southgate’s plans so he began the process to officially switch his allegiance to Nigeria. This was completed by FIFA in 2022. He made his debut against Ghana as the country eventually lost out in the World Cup play-off.
Ademola Lookman scored 3 goals as England made it to the final and won that tournament in 2017. Ademola Lookman has scored 3 goals as Nigeria advanced to the #AFCON2023 final to play Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday. He will be looking to add to that tally.
Lookman, once a promising youngster, has been through the ups and downs of the game. A promising career start as a striker in Charlton, change of fortunes in Everton, renewed hope at R.B. Leipzig on loan turned into a false dawn again when the deal was made permanent.
Another loan to Fulham and then Leicester City. It was a journey in the wilderness; bare, boring and brutal.
Then came 2022. Lookman made the Nigeria switch, then moved to Atalanta. He has since become one of the most feared strikers in Italy.
In that 2017 tournament England won, Dominic Solanke won the golden ball. England also had Fikayo Tomori, Josh Onoma, Ovie Ejara and Sheyi Ojo etc.
Lookman took a different turn from those. Whilst they all find their international path towards an England door that appears shut, on Sunday, Ademola Lookman will step out for his first senior final, wearing the colours of Nigeria.
When he does, he’d feel justified for choosing Nigeria and he’d be looking to become the first man to win a football trophy for both Nigeria and England. His story, his football story and the story of his ultimate appearance for Nigeria, is that of persistence and the will to keep trying, again and again.
Ademola Lookman has been here before. He lifted the trophy the last time. However, even he would know that this time, it’d be sweeter and better, because the last 7 years since Korea Republic 2017 has shown him that, in football — as in life — nothing is promised and you have to make your own luck. This is only one of many extraordinary stories in the Super Eagles!
