African best Ademola Lookman credits switch to Nigeria for career revival

Ademola Lookman, Nigeria’s CAF Men’s Player of the Year, has credited his decision to switch his national allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2022 as a key factor in his recent success.

Lookman, born in London and a former England Under-17 World Cup winner, made the switch to represent the Super Eagles two years ago.

Reflecting on the change, he shared that it has had a positive impact on his career.

“I think ever since I put on the Super Eagles jersey, it’s been fruitful,” Lookman said in an interview with SportyTV.

“We’ve been able to achieve a lot as a team and we’re still going as a team. But the camaraderie is something that’s very special within the squad. Ever since I joined the Super Eagles, everything has gone upwards for me.”

In less than two years, Lookman has gone from being labeled a Premier League flop to being named Africa’s best player.

His performances for Nigeria, including three goals and two assists in their AFCON qualification campaign, were pivotal in helping the Super Eagles reach their eighth Africa Cup of Nations final.

At club level, Lookman has also excelled, scoring a European record hat-trick for Atalanta in the UEFA Europa Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Lookman’s remarkable rise has been compared to other successful diaspora-born players like Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Moses. “To me it’s an incredible moment,” Lookman said of his CAF Awards win. “An incredible achievement. It’s special to be able to join the list of many great players who have achieved a lot in the game, legends.”

He also spoke about the importance of inspiring the next generation of players. “It’s not just me but we have a lot of talent, not just in the men’s game but also in the women’s game, and for us to be able to give motivation to the young kids who want to aspire to be like us is the most important, because if we can set a good example, they have good footsteps to walk into,” he added.