Tribal Football

Atalanta ace Lookman talks Nigeria, Ballon d'Or and special Gasperini words

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Atalanta ace Lookman talks Nigeria, Ballon d'Or and special Gasperini words
Atalanta ace Lookman talks Nigeria, Ballon d'Or and special Gasperini wordsAction Plus
Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman admits 2024 has been the best year of his career.

After scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final to help Atalanta defeat Bayer Leverkusen, Lookman is now among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or.

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He told France Football: "The feeling of winning and having gold around your neck is an incomparable feeling. And writing history in a small city like Bergamo is something extraordinary. I was very struck by the fact that (Gian Piero) Gasperini told me a few days later that I had become part of football history. It's true, it's an honour, but I worked hard to get here."

On playing for Nigeria, he continued: "I have learned to understand it over time. Even though I played for England in the youth teams, winning the U20 World Cup in 2017, I decided with my heart to play for the Super Eagles because I have a close and personal connection with this country."

And on the Ballon d'Or, Lookman added: "It's crazy. And being the only African on the list is even more special. I'm proud of it. It's an honour, knowing where I come from."