Everything You Wanted to Know About Ademola Lookman

Biography

Early Career

In 2014, Lookman joined the academy of Charlton Athletic after moving from the London youth club Waterloo. His rapid progress within the club’s system led to his first-team debut in November 2015 in the Championship. By December, he had scored his first professional goal and quickly established himself in the senior squad.

Move to Everton and the German Period

In January 2017, Lookman signed for Everton (the transfer fee was estimated at around £7.5–11 million). He made an impressive debut by scoring against Manchester City. However, it was difficult for him to secure a regular starting place, and he was loaned to RB Leipzig, where he scored the winning goal in his very first match. The German club later signed him on a permanent deal.

Lookman also spent loan spells at Fulham and Leicester City, where he continued gaining experience in the English Premier League.

Breakthrough at Atalanta

In August 2022, Lookman joined Italian side Atalanta for a fee of around €15 million. This marked a key stage in his career. In the 2023/24 season, he became the hero of the Europa League final by scoring a hat-trick against Bayer (3:0). It was the first hat-trick in a single-match European final since 1969. Thanks to his outstanding season, he was named African Footballer of the Year, becoming the seventh Nigerian to receive the award.

In the following season, he continued his impressive form, winning domestic trophies with the club and cementing his status as one of the most exciting attacking players in Serie A.

Transfer to Atlético Madrid

On 1 February 2026, Lookman signed for Atlético Madrid for a fee of around £30.3 million. In his debut match in the Copa del Rey, he scored in a 5:0 victory over Real Betis. That goal marked the 100th of his professional career.

International Career

Lookman progressed from England’s youth national teams (U19, U20, U21) to representing Nigeria at senior level. With England, he won the U-20 World Cup in 2017.

In 2022, FIFA approved his change of sporting nationality, and he made his debut for the Nigerian national team. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, he became one of the team’s leaders, scoring in the knockout stages and helping Nigeria reach the final. In 2025, he helped Nigeria secure third place in the tournament.

Today, Lookman is one of Nigeria’s key attacking players and one of the most versatile forwards of his generation, capable of playing on the wing, as a second striker, or in a more central attacking role.

Personal Life

Ademola Lookman was born in London to Nigerian parents. Although he grew up in England, his connection to his Nigerian roots has always played an important role in his life and worldview. This later influenced his decision to switch sporting nationality and represent Nigeria.

From a young age, Lookman placed great importance on education. He attended St Thomas the Apostle College in Nunhead and achieved excellent academic results, earning high GCSE grades. Teachers and classmates noted his discipline and serious attitude toward his studies — qualities that later became evident in his professional career.

Lookman is known as a private and reserved individual. Unlike many footballers of his generation, he rarely shares details of his personal life on social media, preferring to focus on his football career. He has repeatedly emphasized the importance of family in his life, especially highlighting the role of his mother, whom he has called a “superwoman” and his main source of support.

In 2024, media reports mentioned his relationship with Portuguese actress Inês Aguiar, although the footballer himself rarely comments publicly on his private life.

Lookman is also actively involved in the Nigerian diaspora and national team community. He takes pride in his heritage and has stated that his decision to change sporting nationality was a conscious choice driven by personal conviction and a desire to represent his family’s ancestral homeland.

Interesting Facts

• Europa League Final Hero (2024): scored a hat-trick in the final against Bayer, becoming the first player since 1969 to score three goals in a single-match European final.
• African Footballer of the Year: became the seventh Nigerian to receive the award after his triumphant season with Atalanta.
• U-20 World Cup Winner: won the 2017 U-20 World Cup with England, scoring three goals during the tournament.
• Turned Down Nigeria Three Times — Then Chose It: before officially switching nationality, he declined several approaches from the Nigerian Football Federation before committing in 2022.
• 100th Goal on Atlético Debut: scored his 100th career goal in his first appearance for the Madrid club.
• Rare Achievement in the Netherlands: during his loan spell at Willem II, he became the first foreign player in Eredivisie history to score 12 goals in his first 12 league matches.
• Big-Game Player: regularly scores in crucial Serie A and European fixtures, delivering in high-pressure matches.
• Penalty Controversy: after missing a penalty in the Champions League and receiving public criticism from coach Gian Piero Gasperini, he quickly regained form and continued scoring consistently.
• Order of the Niger: after a successful Africa Cup campaign, he and his teammates were awarded the national Order of the Niger.
• Academic Excellence: achieved strong academic results before his professional breakthrough — a rare accomplishment among players who turn professional at a young age.