Atalanta Europa League hero Ademola Lookman has revealed that playing for Nigeria has been key to the improvements he has experienced in his life, Soccernet.ng reports.
Lookman has been impressive for Atalanta this season, but he took it to a whole new level on Wednesday night when La Dea locked horns with Bayer Leverkusen at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Die Werkself had not lost any game this season prior to the fixture, but Atalanta handed them their first defeat after 51 games, and Lookman was the tormentor in chief. The 26-year-old forward scored a brace in the first half, and wrapped it up with a third in the second half.
Lookman became the first player to score a hattrick in the final of the Europa League. His brilliance also ensured that Atalanta won the first European trophy in 60 years.
Recall that Lookman got his competitive debut for Nigeria in 2022, in the World Cup qualifier against Ghana. And following his feat, Lookman revealed that the support he has gotten from Nigerian fans since he started playing for the Super Eagles is what has propelled him in recent years.
“It’s incredible, I said this earlier in a few interviews. The support and the love I get back home from our people is unbelievable,” Lookman told Oma Akatugba.
“It gives me the motivation to try to inspire myself, try to evolve in different areas of myself- not just in my game but me as a person also.
“I think it has taken me to a new level. Competing in AFCON this January, unfortunately we lost in the final, but the whole tournament catapulted us as the Super Eagles back again, and we have the support from back home.”
Lookman will be looking to take his current form into Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Benin and South Africa late in June. The former Leicester City man was unsung at the 2023 AFCON, and Finidi George will hope he can deliver the goods in June.