Sport
Lookman Says Choosing Nigeria Changed His Life and Career and He Feels at Home
Ademola Lookman has opened up about how choosing to play for Nigeria over England has been a turning point in his football journey. Born in England to Nigerian parents, the 27-year-old winger once wore the English colours at youth levels, featuring for the U-19, U-20, and U-21 teams. But in 2022, he made a bold move—switching to represent Nigeria at the senior level, debuting in a tense clash against long-time rivals Ghana.
Since then, the Atalanta star has made a name for himself in the green and white jersey. He was a key figure in Nigeria’s run to the final at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, scoring three times and assisting once. His standout performances earned him the title of Africa’s best player in a ceremony held in Marrakech last December.
Reflecting on his decision in a chat with ARISE TV, Lookman said, “No doubt, choosing Nigeria changed everything for me—my career and my life. This is where I belong. I feel at home here. I’m truly a son of the soil.”
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
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