Ademola Lookman’s journey with football mirrors the tales of many Africans who have sought better living conditions beyond their homelands, venturing into the European continent or other parts of the world.
However, Lookman’s initiation into the world of football, amid the challenges faced by his family, distinguishes him as a resilient talent whose path to success was shaped by perseverance and dedication.
Adverse conditions in Nigeria compelled Lookman’s family to seek a better life abroad, with the young talent accompanied by his parents and siblings.
Born in Wandsworth, England, Lookman’s early life was marked by nights with insufficient food, shared with his mother and sister.
His father remained in Nigeria, working tirelessly to provide for the family.
Amid such challenging circumstances, football became Lookman’s solace and companion, offering a path that initially seemed dim.
His dream of playing professional football faced delays, and an alternate path could have easily been taken.
At the age of sixteen, as he faced the prospect of joining a university, making a career in football more challenging, fate intervened.
Lookman was plucked from the alleyways to a relatively higher level in 2013 when he participated in a friendly match against Charlton Academy.
Not initially a starter, an injury to a teammate granted Lookman an opportunity, and although he didn’t score, the academy invited him for a trial.
Progressing through club teams, he eventually moved from Everton to Leipzig (initially on loan and later permanently), had loan spells at Fulham and Leicester City, before finding stability at Atalanta in Italy.
Lookman achieved success early in his career, winning the U-20 World Cup with England in 2017, but simultaneously declined Nigeria’s national team offers.
However, in 2022, he decided to represent Nigeria, contributing to the team’s qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
His crucial goals against Cameroon propelled Nigeria to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, setting the stage for a challenging encounter against Angola.
ضغط عالٍ من منتخب نيجيريا يثمر عن هدف بإمضاء أديمولا لوكمان #كأس_أمم_إفريقيا | #نيجيريا_الكاميرون #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/DdfKfUjCOm
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 27, 2024
Throughout his journey marked by multiple loan spells and delayed dreams, Ademola Lookman never displayed frustration.
His profound joy in playing football, wherever he finds himself, resonates in his words: “Playing football, wherever I am, makes me feel at home.”
