Former Super Eagles defender Garba Lawal has backed Ademola Lookman to reach the very top of European football under Diego Simeone, Soccernet.ng reports.
This follows the winger’s impressive start at Atletico Madrid, where he has scored three goals and provided two assists in his five match appearances for the club.
Lawal believes Lookman’s early adaptation in Spain shows he has what it takes to rise to the level of elite attackers such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Raphinha. However, he warned that success is never guaranteed in football.
Lawal hails Lookman’s fast start at Atletico Madrid
Speaking about Lookman’s impact in Madrid, Lawal hailed the Super Eagles forward after his strong Champions League display against Club Brugge.
“Ademola Lookman is a wonder boy, and he’s a great player. We can see how quickly he has settled in at Atletico,” Lawal told Footy-Africa. “He played a great game against Club Brugge. He linked well and combined with his teammates. Once he understands them fully, I think he’s going to be difficult to stop.”
The former Nigeria international also praised Lookman’s decision to leave Atalanta at this stage of his career, stressing that regular football at the highest level will speed up his development.
“He’s smart to have left Atalanta at this point. He’s at the right age and at the right period of his career. To play for a big club like this in a competition like the Champions League is great. He’ll definitely score more goals before the end of the season,” Lawal said.
Simeone tipped to unlock Lookman’s full potential
Asked whether Lookman can grow into a La Liga superstar and reach the level of Europe’s most feared forwards, Lawal said it is achievable — but only with consistency.
“Yes, it is possible, but football is not mathematics where two plus two is four. You might expect positive and get negative, or vice versa. That’s football,” he explained.
However, Lawal spoke on Simeone’s track record of improving attacking players as a key reason for optimism.
“But Diego Simeone is a great coach who likes to get the best out of his players. He will definitely love Lookman because he works hard for his team and supports his teammates,” Lawal added.
Following Lookman's recent performances since moving to Spain, expectations are rising in the Nigerian football community that the Super Eagle star could become one of Atletico Madrid’s most important attacking weapons if he continues in his current form.
