The 2023/24 season will be one that would take forever to forget in the life and career of Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman.
After showing incredible performance levels in his maiden ampaign with Atalanta last year, Lookman took his game to unprecedented new heights this term.
The 26-year-old attacker became the ultimate forward under manager Gian Pierro Gasparini and together they powered Atalanta to the club’s best season ever.
Lookman also impressed as Nigeria reached the finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
And Soccernet.ng‘s Imhons Erons has compiled the five most beautiful games that defined the incredible brilliance of the Atalanta man this season.
After enjoying a sensational AFCON with the Super Eagles, Lookman returned to the Italian Serie A reborn – a man full of confidence to challenge remaining lingering doubts in his own abilities.
Against Monza in April, he delivered a man-of-the-match displays as he provided the assists to the goals that handed Atalanta a hard-fought 2-1 win.
Atalanta had done a great job in the first leg of their Europa League clash against Marseille, leaving France with an impressive 1-1 draw.
But there was a lot of work still to be done against a side that boast the competition’a highest goalscorer in Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.
However, it turned out to be the Ademola Lookman show as the Nigeria scored the opener and assisted the second goal on the road to a convincing 3-0 win.
Atalanta had played four games without a win, including a 3-0 defeat against Torino, when they hosted Stefano Pioli’s in December.
Gasperini turned to his Nigerian import for help and Lookman did not disappoint as he grabbed the opener in the 38th minute before making the scoreline two-one in the second half.
Still, Milan equalised but Luis Muriel netted a stoppage-time winner to hand Atalanta a 3-2 win and all three points at stake.
Lookman joined Nigeria at the AFCON in January and was the Super Eagles most efficient player at the tournament with three goals and one assist.
His winner against Angola was as crucial as they come but his brilliant brace against Cameroon, Nigeria’s eternal rivals remains the most memorable.
No other performance will highlight Lookman’s legacy more than his display in the final of the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen.
Coached by the likeable Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen had won the Bundesliga, the club’s first in history, while staying unbeaten and were ninety minutes away from lifting the Europa League undefeated as well.
However, Lookman had his own history to write. And the Nigerian forward netted a sensational hat-trick – the first of any African in a European cup final – to power Atalanta to the club’s first-ever continental title.
On Atalanta’s biggest night in their 116-year history, Lookman turned up big to hand the Bergamaschi the most beautiful moments of their lives.
This post was last modified on June 4, 2024 4:37 pm
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Ademola Lookman is simply the rave of the moment in Nigeria football . I believe God is on our side against SA on Friday, where Lookman will be torn in SA flesh for goals in favor of Nigeria