A Star Reborn: Ademola Lookman's Journey from Doubt to Glory

I remember the Sunday League pitches, the smell of damp grass and the pure, unadulterated joy of the game. That was my beginning. From those amateur fields in London to the dizzying heights of a Ballon d'Or shortlist, my path has been anything but a straight line. It’s a story woven with threads of doubt, resilience, and a faith that the right soil would eventually yield its fruit. As I stand here in 2026, reflecting on a journey that has taken me from Charlton Athletic's academy to becoming a cornerstone of Atalanta's dreams, I see not a scripted fairytale, but a testament to patience and finding a home for one's soul.

My time in England was a chapter of fleeting moments and growing shadows. Everton felt like a promised land when I arrived in 2017. Scoring on my Premier League debut against Manchester City... the world seemed to open up. But promises can be fragile. Under Ronald Koeman, then Sam Allardyce, and later Marco Silva, I became a ghost in the machine—a prospect with potential that never quite found its rhythm in the relentless churn of Merseyside. Twenty-one appearances, only three starts. The numbers tell a cold story of a young man lost in translation. The competition was fierce, the managerial carousel never stopped spinning, and with each passing week, the pitch felt further away. My heart yearned for expression, but the script kept getting rewritten.

A loan to RB Leipzig in 2018 was a gasp of fresh air. Five goals and four assists in eleven games—a flash of what could be. Yet, upon return, the old patterns reasserted themselves. The disconnect remained. It wasn't malice, just a misfit. When the chance came to leave for good, the decision, though painful, was clear. I needed a canvas, not a cage.

Bergamo. Atalanta. August 2022. This was the turning point, the moment the scattered pieces began to form a picture. Switching my international allegiance to Nigeria felt like part of the same journey—a return to a deeper root, a new identity. From the very first match against Sampdoria, where I scored, there was a symbiosis. Gian Piero Gasperini’s system wasn't just tactics; it was a philosophy of freedom within structure, a perfect echo of my own footballing soul. The trust was immediate and absolute.

• 2022/23: Top scorer for the club. Fifteen goals. A statement.

• 2023/24: The season dreams are made of. Seventeen goals. A fourth-place Serie A finish. And then, Dublin.

The Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. To score once in such a match is a privilege. To score twice is a dream. To score three times, a historic hat-trick in the final, is something that still feels surreal. That night, I wasn't just a player; I was a vessel for the hopes of an entire club and a nation. The memory of a failed panenka for Fulham, a moment of youthful audacity that cost us, was washed away in that torrent of joy. From that low to this pinnacle—the arc of a career, defined in one glorious evening.

Recognition followed. The 14th place on the 2024 Ballon d'Or shortlist wasn't about the ranking; it was a symbol. A message to every player who has ever been written off: your story isn't over until you say it is. Now, in the 2025/26 season, that momentum hasn't just continued; it has accelerated. The synergy with my teammates, the clarity of my role, it all translates onto the pitch. We are in a fierce title race, every match a step toward immortality.

My journey is a map of modern football:

I am proof that a player is not a fixed entity. We are seeds. Some lands are barren for us, no matter how fertile they seem for others. But when you find your soil—the right coach, the right system, the right city that beats in time with your own heart—you don't just grow; you flourish. The statistics, the ratings, they are just the flowers. The root is belonging. And in Bergamo, I have finally, unquestionably, found mine. The boy from the Sunday League has his home, and his story is still being written, one magical goal at a time. :soccer: :star: :green_heart: