- Ademola Lookman switched his international allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2022 and never looked back
- Lookman’s career has taken an upward trajectory since then, and he is in contention for the CAF Best Award
- The English-born attacker has sent a subtle message to other dual nationals who are hoping to switch allegiance
Ademola Lookman’s career has witnessed an upward movement since 2022, and he has linked it to his international allegiance switch to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Lookman was born and raised in England by Nigerian parents and represented the English national teams at the youth level, winning the 2017 U20 World Cup.
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He turned down approaches from the Nigerian Football Federation twice over playing for the Super Eagles before finally completing his switch in February 2022.
Lookman speaks on playing for Nigeria
Lookman made his international debut during the March 2022 international break in a 0-0 draw against Ghana and has seen his career reach new heights since then.
Two years later, he helped Nigeria reach the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, which they lost to Ivory Coast and is the leading favourite to be named the African Footballer of the Year.
“It was massive for me because that was really a big turning point in my career. Ever since I’ve put on the Super Eagles jersey, it has been fruitful,” he told Sporty TV about the decision to represent Nigeria.
“We have been able to achieve together as a team, and we are still growing as a team. The togetherness of the team is something that is very special within the squad.”
“We showed that in the last AFCON, we got to the final, but unfortunately, we came up a bit short. The foundations are there and it’s just a fantastic feeling to be able to hold that with pride, to say I’m representing my country,” he added.
As noted by CAF Online, at his first major tournament for the Super Eagles, he was named in the AFCON 2023 team of the tournament after three goals in seven games.
He is one of the success stories for the NFF regarding the efforts to get players of dual nationality to switch allegiance, and he could serve as a lesson to others, including Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo.
Lookman speaks on being CAF POTY favourite
Legit.ng reported that Lookman spoke about being CAF POTY favourite after scoring a late winner to help Atalanta beat AC Milan and climb to the top of the table.
The 27-year-old admitted it is a dream to be nominated for the prestigious award even if he does not win it. The ceremony will be held next week Monday in Morocco.
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Source: Legit.ng
