Ademola Lookman names Chelsea, Liverpool stars as toughest defenders he’s faced

Nigeria and Atlético Madrid forward Ademola Lookman has revealed the two defenders who have given him the hardest time in his career, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Eagles attacker named Chelsea captain Reece James and Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk as the toughest opponents he has come up against.

The 28-year-old, who has been one of Nigeria's most exciting attacking players in recent seasons, said both defenders stand out because of their strength, intelligence and ability to stop dangerous wingers in one-against-one situations.

Speaking to ESPN, Lookman was asked to name the hardest player he has faced, and the Atlético Madrid attacker did not hesitate in pointing to James and Van Dijk.

Lookman has played against several elite defenders during a career that has taken him across England, Germany and Italy before his latest move to Spain.

The Nigeria international previously featured for clubs including Everton, Fulham and Leicester City in the Premier League, where he regularly faced top-level opposition.

His experiences against Liverpool have been particularly memorable. Lookman has played seven times against the Merseyside club, scoring once and providing one assist. Across those seven meetings, his teams recorded two wins, four draws and just one defeat.

His most famous moment against Liverpool came in December 2021 when he scored the only goal in Leicester City’s 1-0 Premier League win at the King Power Stadium.

That night, Van Dijk was at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, but Lookman came off the bench to find the decisive breakthrough and secure a major result for Leicester. Liverpool also missed a golden chance to equalise when Mohamed Salah failed to convert a penalty.

Lookman has also faced Chelsea several times in his career and came up against James in both domestic and European competition.

Although he was part of the Atalanta side that defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the Champions League earlier this season, he was unable to register a goal or assist in the contest.

Still, his battle with James clearly left an impression.

Ademola Lookman shining at Atlético Madrid after winter move

Lookman’s comments come as he continues to enjoy a brilliant spell in Spain following his move from Atalanta to Atlético Madrid in January.

The Nigerian joined Diego Simeone’s side in a deal worth around €40m and has quickly become one of the club’s most important attacking players.

His start could hardly have been better. Lookman scored on his Atlético debut in a 5-0 Copa del Rey win over Real Betis.

Since then, he has continued to deliver in major matches. One of his most important moments came in the Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona on 14 April, when he scored the decisive goal in the second leg to help Atlético secure a 3-2 aggregate victory. The win sent Simeone’s side into their first Champions League semi-final since 2017.

Lookman has also produced in other huge fixtures. He scored against Real Madrid in La Liga and delivered a goal plus an assist in Atlético’s stunning 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final victory over Barcelona.

Since arriving in Madrid, Lookman has made 19 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing four assists.

His breakdown includes two La Liga goals in eight matches, three goals and two assists in four Copa del Rey games, and two goals plus two assists in seven Champions League appearances.

Those 11 direct goal contributions have made him one of Atlético’s standout performers in the second half of the season.

Simeone has praised the Nigerian for adding fresh attacking quality to his side while also improving defensively, a key requirement in Atlético’s demanding system.

Although Lookman recently suffered a minor muscle issue, he has returned to fitness in time for the final weeks of the campaign.

Atlético remain just 90 minutes away from reaching the Champions League final after battling to a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the first leg of their semifinal clash.