José Peseiro has detailed how Ademola Lookman’s decision to represent Nigeria marked a turning point that set the forward on a path to his recent move to Atlético Madrid, Footynaija.com reports.
The former Super Eagles coach placed the moment in mid 2022, when the London-born forward accepted Nigeria’s call after falling out of England’s senior plans, as a break in the player’s career path.
Before that change, Lookman’s club record showed promise but lacked stability. He came through at Charlton Athletic and earned a move to Everton in January 2017, but regular minutes proved hard to secure.
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Loan spells followed at RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City, where he showed flashes of quality without settling into a fixed role. During that period, his involvement with England had already ended after youth competitions, including the 2017 Under 20 World Cup.
Nigeria’s approach came shortly before Peseiro took charge of the national team. Lookman had made a brief Super Eagles appearance earlier, but under the Portuguese coach his role changed.
He became a regular starter during the opening phase of Peseiro’s tenure, with defined attacking duties and consistent selection. That run brought steady returns and coincided with an upturn in his club form.
It was around the same time he moved to Atalanta in August 2022. In Serie A, the attacker found a settled environment and delivered his strongest stretch at club level.
He scored 55 goals in 137 matches for the Bergamo side, with his most notable performance coming in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final. On that night, he scored all three goals in a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, handing Atalanta their first European title.
His international form was similar to that. At the Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON), he featured alongside Victor Osimhen as Nigeria reached the final. Across that cycle, Lookman scored six goals in 13 matches, while Osimhen scored five in 14. The run added weight to his standing and fed into individual recognition later in the year.
Peseiro believes Nigeria Super Eagles unlocked Lookman
Looking back on that stage, in a report by Marca, Peseiro said, “He was just a kid, but he always told me how sad he was because after winning the Under 20 World Cup in 2017 and reaching the Under 21s, England stopped calling him up.”
The Portuguese manager explained the shift in responsibility by adding, “I saw his potential, I put him with consistency as a starter and he exploded.”
By early February 2026, Atlético Madrid moved to complete the transfer of the 2024 African Player of the Year from Atalanta.
His introduction in Madrid was swift. In a Copa del match against Real Betis, his first in the capital club’s colours, he scored and assisted in a 5-0 win, a game that marked his 100th senior career goal.
Peseiro summed up his view of the move by saying, “By giving him freedom and accepting his audacity and creativity, Lookman has the potential to have great seasons and make his mark at Atlético.”
