On the night of May 22, 2024, the football world stood still for Nigerian international Ademola Lookman as he made history by scoring a hattrick for Atalanta in the final of the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen.

Prior to the match, Leverkusen were favourites for the title after a full season of being unbeaten in all competitions.

Ademola Lookman had featured in two other finals before the night of May 22.

First was the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, where Nigeria lost to the hosts in the final, and his second final was against Italian football giants Juventus in the Coppa Italia, which his club lost.

Ademola was not prepared to loose his third final in a year against Leverkusen and took the game personally.

Within 26 minutes of the Europa League final, Ademola scored a brace and was not done with Xabi Alonso’s men as he went on to score a hat-trick in the second half.

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Ademola Lookman became the first African player to score a hat-trick in a European final and only the second player to score three goals in a Europa League/UEFA Cup final after Jupp Heynckes in 1975.

Football greats like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could not do what Ademola did on May 22, as campaigns have started for him to win the African Player of the Year award.

“We had seen his qualities through someone at Leicester City. He didn’t score many goals at first; we had him change his position a bit to play him more offensively, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said when quizzed about why he brought the Nigerian to the Italian club.

“He wrote history that will live on for a long time. It was of course those three goals, but the way in which it was done was also astonishing.”

Lookman was also full of praise for the coach and the Italian club.

“The coach and the club gave me confidence. They let me play more offensive football, which means that I am much better now than a few years ago at RB Leipzig,” he emphasized.

On his coach, Ademola said:

“My first conversations with him as a coach completely changed my view of football. I started playing much more simply. I owe a lot to him.”

Ademola Lookman was born in Wandsworth, Greater London, to his Nigerian parents on October 20, 1997.

Before joining Atalanta, he played for European clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Everton, Fulham, Leicester City, and RB Leipzig.

He also played youth international football for England before switching to Nigeria, where he had an exceptional first international tournament for the Super Eagles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

He scored three goals and assisted one as Nigeria finished in second place at the tournament.