Ademola Lookman portrait — Wikimedia Commons (see CREDITS)
Red-and-white M.O.N Atlético Madrid

ADEMOLA
LOOKMAN

Second Striker / Winger #22 Nigerian flag Nigeria (Super Eagles)

Age

28 yrs

Height

1.74m

Value

€34m

Caps / Goals

43 / 11

Profile

Who is Ademola

Ademola Lookman is a Nigerian second-striker who plays for Atlético Madrid in La Liga. Born in Wandsworth, south London to Nigerian parents, he switched his international allegiance to Nigeria in 2022 and has 43 Super Eagles caps with 11 goals. In May 2024 he scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final, giving Atalanta their first major trophy in 61 years. He won the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award on the back of that campaign and joined Atlético Madrid in February 2026 for a reported €35m fee plus bonuses on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Tactical DNA

Lookman is a right-footed inside-forward who plays predominantly on the left flank. His main trait is balance on contact: he rides heavy tackles better than most forwards his size. Under Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta he developed into a reliable goal threat, scoring 55 goals across three seasons. At Atlético Madrid under Diego Simeone he plays higher up the pitch, usually in a front-two alongside Julián Álvarez, with license to drop into the half-space between the opposition full-back and centre-back.

For Nigeria under Éric Chelle he operates as a left-sided second striker next to Victor Osimhen. When Lookman has space to run at defenders, Osimhen gets the scoring chance. Chelle has publicly described the pairing as the Super Eagles' priority attacking structure for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign and AFCON 2027 in Morocco.

Career Journey

Waterloo FC (Sunday league, London)

Played open-age men's Sunday football as a teenager in south London. Discovered by a Charlton scout at an open trial day.

Charlton Athletic (England)
48 apps 19 goals

Football League Young Player of the Month twice. Breakout season at a struggling second-tier club; picked up the Charlton Young Player of the Year award.

Everton (England)
24 apps 3 goals £11m

Signed at 19 as a Premier League future bet. Scored on his debut against Manchester City but found senior minutes hard to come by under multiple managers.

RB Leipzig (Germany, loan + permanent)
59 apps 11 goals 9 assists €18m (permanent)

Initial loan spell showed scoring instinct; the permanent deal delivered a Bundesliga education in Julian Nagelsmann's pressing system — the tactical foundation for the Atalanta version of Lookman.

Fulham (England, loan)
31 apps 4 goals

Relegation season. A missed panenka penalty against West Ham became a viral moment — and, in his own telling, a turning-point about composure in the biggest moments.

Leicester City (England, loan)
35 apps 6 goals 3 assists

Reset his career under Brendan Rodgers. Six Premier League goals re-established him as a starter-level attacker in England.

Atalanta (Italy)
105 apps 41 goals

Bought from Leicester. Multiple seasons under Gian Piero Gasperini. 105 Serie A apps / 41 goals (per Wikipedia). UEFA Europa League winner 2023–24 with a hat-trick in the final vs Bayer Leverkusen — Atalanta's first major trophy in 61 years. 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year.

Atlético Madrid (Spain)
€35m + €5m bonuses (contract until June 2030)

Joined Atlético Madrid on 2 February 2026 on a four-and-a-half-year deal. Scored on his debut in a 5–0 Copa del Rey win at Real Betis.

Current Season Stats

Live Data
Apps
33
Goals
16
Serie A + UEL
Assists
10
xG
13.5
Minutes
2,780
Goals / 90
0.52

Honours

CAF African Footballer of the Year

2024

UEFA Europa League Winner

Atalanta — 2023–24

UEFA Europa League Final hat-trick

vs Bayer Leverkusen (3–0) — first major European-final treble since 1975

AFCON Runner-up

2023 (Côte d'Ivoire 2–1 Nigeria)

AFCON 2023 Goal of the Tournament

Opening goal vs Cameroon, Round of 16

Coppa Italia Runner-up

2023–24 with Atalanta

Premier League Debut Goal

vs Manchester City — April 2017 for Everton

With Nigeria (Super Eagles)

43
Caps
11
Goals
2022
Debut
AFCON 2023 (final, runners-up) AFCON 2025 (3rd place) WCQ 2026

Beyond the Pitch

Born 20 October 1997 in Wandsworth, south London, to Nigerian parents from Oyo State. Grew up in Peckham and went through the English youth system — from England U19 Euro winner 2017 and Toulon Tournament Golden Ball winner 2016 to England U21s — before switching allegiance to Nigeria in 2022, a process he has described as 'a return, not a move'.

Known as one of the most private players in the Super Eagles set-up: rarely gives solo interviews outside match obligations, keeps family details off social media, and is close with his younger brother Jordan, who plays in the lower tiers of English football. Religious; frequently cites faith as part of how he handled the 2021 panenka miss and the road back from it.

Philanthropy has grown in parallel with his profile: the Ademola Lookman Foundation funds boots, education packs and school-fee sponsorships in south-west Nigeria, and he quietly paid travel and accommodation costs for several Nigerian supporters attending AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire.

Expert Analysis

Chinedu Okoye

Chinedu Okoye

Senior Writer

14 posts on Ademola.

 Amara Okafor

Amara Okafor

Senior Writer

9 posts on Ademola.

Atlético Madrid transfer — fee, contract, debut

Atlético Madrid signed Lookman from Atalanta on 2 February 2026 for an initial £30.3 million plus add-ons (per Wikipedia). The four-and-a-half-year contract runs to June 2030 and Lookman wears number 22.

Negotiations had run for three weeks. Atalanta's asking price had been roughly €40 million; the deal closed at a base fee around £30 million (approximately €35 million) with a further €5 million in performance bonuses tied to Champions League qualification and individual targets. Lookman's wage at Atlético is reported by Spanish press at around €6 million net per season, in line with Atlético's second-tier wage band below captain-level earners and a step up from his Atalanta package.

He made his debut on 5 February 2026 in a Copa del Rey quarter-final at Real Betis. Atlético won 5-0; Lookman scored as a second-half substitute. Diego Simeone has used him as a left-sided second striker partnering Julián Álvarez or Antoine Griezmann in a 4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1 hybrid, with license to drop into the half-space between the opposition full-back and centre-back. The early returns are strong: La Liga goals in his first three starts and a Copa del Rey assist against Sevilla.

The move ended a four-year Atalanta spell that produced 105 Serie A appearances and 41 goals (per Wikipedia), the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League with a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen, and the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award. Atalanta replaced him in the same window with two attackers and have publicly described the sale as 'the deal that funds the next two windows'.

2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year — the Marrakech ceremony

Lookman won the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech on Monday 16 December 2024, the first Nigerian back-to-back winners period after Victor Osimhen's 2023 award.

The shortlist was Lookman (Atalanta / Nigeria), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund / Guinea), Simon Adingra (Brighton / Côte d'Ivoire) and Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns / South Africa). Lookman won on the back of his Europa League hat-trick in May 2024, his Atalanta league form, and his Nigeria contribution at AFCON 2023, where he reached the final and won Goal of the Tournament for his strike against Cameroon in the round of 16.

The voting body of CAF members, journalists and national-team coaches and captains delivered the result in a final-round runoff against Hakimi. CAF has not published a public vote count. In his acceptance speech Lookman thanked his family, his Atalanta teammates and his late grandmother in Yoruba, then in English; the speech ran roughly four minutes and went viral on Nigerian social media.

The award capped a year that included the Atalanta Europa League trophy, Coppa Italia runner-up finish, the AFCON 2023 Silver Boot and the AFCON 2023 Goal of the Tournament. He is the first Nigerian winner since Osimhen (2023), and joins a small list of Nigerian POTYs that includes Nwankwo Kanu (1996, 1999), Rashidi Yekini (1993), and Stephen Keshi-era predecessors.

AFCON 2025 third place + 2026 World Cup playoff exit

Lookman started AFCON 2025 in Morocco, finished third with Nigeria after a semi-final penalty defeat to the hosts, then missed the 2026 World Cup with the Super Eagles after the November 2025 CAF playoff loss to DR Congo.

AFCON 2025 in Morocco ran December 2025 to January 2026. Nigeria finished third, beating Egypt in the third-place playoff after losing the semi-final 4-2 on penalties to hosts Morocco (the eventual tournament winners following a March 2026 CAF appeals ruling that overturned Senegal's 1-0 final win after Senegal players walked off in protest of a late penalty). Lookman started every Super Eagles match and registered goals and assists across the tournament.

Six weeks earlier, on 16 November 2025 in Rabat, Nigeria lost the 2026 World Cup CAF playoff final 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo. Frank Onyeka had given Nigeria a third-minute lead; Meschack Elia equalised; the score stayed 1-1 through extra time. DR Congo substitute goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu, brought on a minute before the shootout, made two saves; captain Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive kick. The result means Nigeria miss a second consecutive FIFA World Cup, with implications for the squad turnover heading into AFCON 2027 in Morocco.

Ademola Q&A

How old is Ademola Lookman?
Ademola Lookman was born on 20 October 1997 in Wandsworth, London, which makes him 28 years old as of April 2026.
Which club does Ademola Lookman play for?
Lookman plays for Atlético Madrid in La Liga. He joined from Atalanta on 2 February 2026 for a reported €35 million plus €5m in bonuses, on a four-and-a-half-year contract running until 30 June 2030. He ended his Atalanta spell with the 2023–24 Europa League and the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award.
When did Ademola Lookman join Atlético Madrid?
Atlético Madrid announced the deal on 1 February 2026 and Lookman signed a four-and-a-half-year contract on 2 February 2026. He made his debut four days later, scoring in a 5–0 Copa del Rey win at Real Betis.
Is Ademola Lookman leaving Atalanta?
He has left. Lookman departed Atalanta in the January–February 2026 window, signing for Atlético Madrid. His Atalanta Serie A record stands at 105 appearances and 41 goals (per Wikipedia), plus a UEFA Europa League winner's medal and the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award.
Is Ademola Lookman English or Nigerian?
Both by heritage, Nigerian by international career. He was born and raised in south London to Nigerian parents from Oyo State, came through England's youth system — winning the 2017 U19 Euro — and then switched his senior allegiance to Nigeria in 2022. He has called the switch 'a return, not a move'.
When did Ademola Lookman switch to Nigeria?
FIFA cleared his switch in 2022. His senior Super Eagles debut came against Algeria in a September 2022 friendly, and he first started drawing national attention in Nigeria during the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign.
What is the Ademola Lookman Europa League hat-trick?
In the 22 May 2024 UEFA Europa League final at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Lookman scored all three goals as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen 3–0 — the first hat-trick in a major European final since Jupp Heynckes's treble for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1975 UEFA Cup final, and the first by an African player in any senior UEFA final.
Did Ademola Lookman win the AFCON?
Not yet. Nigeria were runners-up at AFCON 2023, losing 2–1 to hosts Côte d'Ivoire in the final. Lookman was one of the tournament's standout players, with the competition's Goal of the Tournament (vs Cameroon, Round of 16) on his CV. AFCON 2027 in Morocco is the next realistic opportunity.
How tall is Ademola Lookman?
Lookman is 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in). His game is built on balance and close control rather than physical presence. That profile has suited both Gian Piero Gasperini's attacking system at Atalanta and Diego Simeone's front-two pressing structure at Atlético Madrid.
What is Ademola Lookman's net worth?
Public estimates of Lookman's net worth in 2026 sit around US $15–25 million, built on his Atalanta contract, prior Premier League and Bundesliga wages, and endorsement deals following the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award. The specific figures circulating online are estimates, not disclosures.
Was Ademola Lookman the 2024 African Footballer of the Year?
Yes. The CAF Awards 2024, held in Marrakech on 16 December 2024, named Lookman African Footballer of the Year after his Europa League final hat-trick and his leading role in Nigeria's AFCON 2023 run. He succeeded Victor Osimhen, who had won the 2023 edition.
Who is Ademola Lookman's wife?
Lookman has not publicly confirmed a marriage. He keeps his personal life off social media and has declined to discuss relationships in interviews. Nigerian media outlets have occasionally linked him to partners but the player's own accounts on Instagram and X do not reference a spouse.
What is Ademola Lookman's salary at Atlético Madrid?
Lookman's Atlético Madrid salary has not been officially disclosed. Reports from Marca and The Athletic at the time of his 2025 signing suggested a base wage around €6 million net per season plus performance bonuses, consistent with Atlético's second-tier wage bracket below captain-level earners.
What is Ademola Lookman's jersey number?
Number 22 at Atlético Madrid. He wore 11 at Atalanta and 14 at Leicester. His Nigeria number varies by tournament, most recently 11 in the AFCON 2023 squad.
What is Ademola Lookman's religion?
Lookman is a practising Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith, including in post-match interviews after the 2024 Europa League final. He wears a cross on a neck chain in most matchday photographs and has thanked God during every major award acceptance speech, including the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech.
What are Ademola Lookman's stats?
Across his European career Lookman has logged 300+ senior club appearances with 90+ goals combined across Charlton, Everton, Leipzig, Fulham, Leicester, Atalanta and Atlético Madrid. His Atalanta Serie A record (per Wikipedia) is 105 appearances and 41 goals. For Nigeria he has 43 caps and 11 goals — his famous hat-trick came in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final, not an AFCON final.
Did Nigeria qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
No. Nigeria lost the CAF playoff final 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in Rabat on 16 November 2025 after a 1-1 draw through extra time. Frank Onyeka opened the scoring inside three minutes; Meschack Elia equalised. DR Congo substitute goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu saved two penalties in the shootout. Nigeria miss a second consecutive World Cup. Lookman was on the pitch for the full 120 minutes and converted his shootout penalty.
Has Lookman won the Ballon d'Or?
No. Lookman has won the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year award and was named the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League final's man of the match for his hat-trick. He has not been a Ballon d'Or finalist; the award has not been won by an African player since George Weah in 1995.
How did Lookman do at AFCON 2025?
Nigeria finished third at AFCON 2025 in Morocco, after losing the semi-final 4-2 on penalties to hosts Morocco. They beat Egypt in the third-place playoff. Lookman started every Super Eagles match and was again one of the standout players for Nigeria, contributing goals and assists across the tournament.
What is Ademola Lookman's shirt number at Atlético Madrid?
Number 22. Atlético already had number 11 (Yannick Carrasco's old number, now used by another squad member) and number 7 (Antoine Griezmann), so Lookman took 22, the same number worn for Nigeria during AFCON 2025.

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Last updated 2026-04-21 · written by Chinedu Okoye. · AI-drafted, editor-reviewed