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Ademola Lookman Names Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey as His Closest Friends in the Super Eagles
Ademola Lookman, the talented winger for Atalanta and a standout player for the Nigerian national team, has shared the names of his closest friends within the Super Eagles squad.
In a remarkable year for the 27-year-old, Lookman was recently crowned the CAF Player of the Year for 2024, solidifying his reputation as one of Africa’s top football talents.
This recognition caps off a stellar period in his career, which saw him become a key figure for Nigeria on the international stage.
Though Lookman only began his journey with the Super Eagles in 2021 following FIFA’s approval of his international switch from England, he has quickly made his mark.
Lookman played an instrumental role in Nigeria’s impressive run during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held earlier this year.
His standout performances included scoring two crucial goals in the Round of 16 against Cameroon, helping Nigeria secure a decisive victory.
He followed that up with a match-winning goal against Angola in the quarter-finals, further cementing his status as one of the team’s go-to players in critical moments.
Despite falling short in the final, Lookman’s contributions were pivotal in propelling the team to such heights.
When asked about his close relationships within the Super Eagles, Lookman revealed that he shares a strong bond with a select group of players, referring to them as the “innit boys,” a nod to their shared British-Nigerian backgrounds.
He specifically mentioned Joe Aribo, a versatile midfielder currently playing for Southampton, and Calvin Bassey, a dynamic defender who made waves with his transfer to Fulham.
Both players, like Lookman, have roots in England but chose to represent Nigeria on the international stage, forging deep connections both on and off the pitch.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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