Soccer
Ademola Lookman enjoyed a night to remember in Spain as Atletico Madrid cruised to a 5-0 away victory over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, with the Nigerian forward playing a starring role on his debut, Soccernet.ng reports.
Lookman, who joined Diego Simeone’s side from Atalanta on winter transfer deadline day, scored Atletico’s third goal and provided the assist for the fourth in a dominant display on Thursday night.
The strike carried extra significance, as it took the 28-year-old to 100 career goals across club and international football. It also made him the first Nigerian player to score in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and the Copa del Rey.
True to form, Lookman once again announced himself immediately at a new club. He has now found the net on his debut for his last four teams: Everton, RB Leipzig, Atalanta and now Atletico Madrid.
His run of memorable first appearances began in January 2017 when he scored in Everton’s 4-0 Premier League win over Manchester City.
A year later, he netted the winner for Leipzig in a 1-0 Bundesliga success against Borussia Mönchengladbach. At Atalanta, he came off the bench on his debut to seal a 2-0 Serie A victory over Sampdoria, before repeating the pattern in Spain against Real Betis.
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Soccer Ademola Lookman’s favourite opponents across Europe
Much of Lookman’s scoring success has come in Italy, where he has enjoyed the most productive spell of his career. He netted 55 goals for Atalanta, more than at any other club, a total that places him ninth on the Bergamo side’s all-time scoring list.
Beyond Atalanta and Atletico, Lookman has also scored 12 times for Charlton Athletic, eight for Leicester City, five for RB Leipzig, and four each for Everton and Fulham.
A further 11 goals have come in Nigeria colours, including four at the recently concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament.
Among his favourite opponents, Fiorentina stand out. Lookman has tormented them with six goals and three assists in just eight appearances. Empoli have also struggled to contain him, with the forward recording five goals and one assist in six meetings.
Napoli have been regular victims too, conceding five goals to Lookman in eight matches, while Juventus have seen him register three goals and one assist. He has also particularly enjoyed success against Hellas Verona and Salernitana.
Back in England, Lookman caused problems for several Premier League sides, managing two goal contributions each against Manchester City, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Leeds United.
Not every opponent has suited him, however. He has failed to record a goal or assist in a combined 26 appearances against Chelsea, West Ham, Southampton and Burnley.
In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen proved his favourite target, with three goals in two matches, alongside strong returns against Wolfsburg, Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt.
One remarkable statistic across his career is his discipline; despite hundreds of appearances, Lookman has never been shown a red card.
He will now hope to build on his stunning Spanish start when Atletico Madrid face Real Betis again in La Liga this weekend.
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