Ademola Lookman is on the verge of making history as he aims to become the latest Nigerian to win the prestigious UEFA Super Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Lookman, who currently plies his trade with Atalanta, will be a key figure when the Italians take on European giants Real Madrid in Poland this Wednesday.
Atalanta, the reigning Europa League champions, secured their place in this match after a commanding 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in May.
Despite this achievement, they head into the clash as underdogs against a Real Madrid side that dominated both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga last season.
However, with Lookman in their ranks, Atalanta may believe they have a fighting chance in their first-ever appearance in the UEFA Super Cup.
Lookman could join an elite group of Nigerian footballers who have lifted the UEFA Super Cup if Atalanta can defy the odds and emerge victorious.
But how many Nigerians have accomplished this feat before him?
The history of Nigerians in the UEFA Super Cup began with two legends: Nwankwo Kanu and George Finidi.
These two stars were part of the Ajax squad that triumphed over Real Zaragoza in the 1995 final.
The final, played over two legs, saw Finidi play every minute of the first game before scoring in the reverse fixture as Ajax secured a 4-0 victory after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Kanu also featured prominently, playing the entire second leg.
Another notable Nigerian winner is Celestine Babayaro, who in 1998, played a crucial role for Chelsea as they edged out Real Madrid 1-0 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco, thanks to a late Gus Poyet strike.
Chidi Odiah and Julius Aghahowa also had their moments in the competition, although neither managed to win the trophy.
Odiah featured for CSKA Moscow in their 2005 defeat to Liverpool, while Aghahowa came off the bench for Shakhtar Donetsk in a narrow 1-0 loss to Barcelona in 2009.
More recently, John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses represented Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup, where they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Mikel would return the following year, only to see his side lose again, this time to Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.
As it stands, only three Nigerians—Finidi, Kanu, and Babayaro—have ever won the UEFA Super Cup. Finidi remains the only Nigerian to score in the competition.
Now, all eyes will be on Ademola Lookman as he attempts to join this exclusive club and make his mark on European football.
The highly anticipated clash will take place at the Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
