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Despite Atalanta’s narrow 2-3 loss to Real Madrid, Ademola Lookman’s outstanding performance on the night earned him the UEFA Champions League Man of the Match award at the Gewiss Stadium.
The Nigerian winger’s superb goal, coupled with his impressive all-around display in the narrow defeat against the reigning champions, has further justified his reputation as one of the most exciting players in the game.
Despite Kylian Mbappé, Vini Jnr, and Jude Bellingham seeing the back of the net for Madrid, Lookman’s electrifying performance stole the spotlight.
Asides the goal, his overall statistics from the match were equally mind-blowing, as he completed an impressive 88% of his passes, created two key chances, and successfully completed three dribbles. With the goal, he became just the right Nigerian player to find the back of the net against Real Madrid.
In Football, you rarely get a man of the match from a player whose team didn’t win the game, but Lookman keeps defying the odds on the biggest of stages.
The 27-year-old’s emergence to prominence has been nothing short of meteoric.
His recent nomination for the CAF African Player of the Year award testifies to his growing status among the continent’s elite players.
That following his impressive ranking in the Ballon d’Or standings, where he finished 14th, making him one of Africa’s highest-ranked players in the award’s history.
Lookman’s success haven’t been limited to his individual accolades as he played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s historic Europa League triumph last season, scoring a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
His performances on the international stage have also been phenomenal, helping Nigeria reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up, narrowly missing out on the highly coveted title to host nation, Cote D’Ivoire.
With the CAF nomination, a strong Balloon D’or showing, a Europa League title and AFCON final experience under his belt. Lookman continues to write a story of resilience and brilliance, proving himself on every stage he graces. His remarkable impact has prompted Atalanta’s president to declare him “not for sale,” amidst interest from other European heavyweights.
