Aoba Tanaka 
Ademola Lookman etched his name into Atalanta folklore with a stunning hat-trick in the Europa League final, propelling his team to victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin. This remarkable feat makes Lookman only the sixth player to score a hat-trick in a European final, the first since Jupp Heynckes in 1975. Lookman’s incredible performance came against a Bayer Leverkusen side, managed by Xabi Alonso, that had remained unbeaten for 361 days.
The 26-year-old London-born Nigerian winger, who struggled to find his footing with Charlton, Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, and Leicester, has now flourished at Atalanta, scoring 15 goals in each of his two seasons with the club. Atalanta’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, praised Lookman’s progress, admitting that no one could have anticipated such a transformation. “We had a senior manager at Atalanta who saw the opportunity to bring him in. Nobody could imagine he’d progress this much. He wasn’t prolific in England, but I changed his position to a more attacking role,” Gasperini said. “Tonight, he achieved something which will remain in the annals of football history – a stunning hat-trick.”
Ademola Lookman himself was confident in his abilities. “Probably, yeah,” he said when asked if he could have imagined this moment growing up in Wandsworth and starting out at Charlton’s academy. “I’ve always had confidence in my ability. In the past two years, I’ve taken my game to a new level and shown it more consistently. Maybe it could have come earlier, but it’s come now. I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made, but this is just the beginning.”
Immediately after the final whistle, Lookman told TNT Sports, “It’s one of the best nights of my life.” He added that a celebration in Dublin was definitely on the agenda. Lookman joined Gasperini’s post-match news conference, expressing gratitude for the support he’s received. “The past few years, the club and coach have supported me by giving me minutes. It’s helped me elevate my game. The first few conversations with Gasperini made me look at football differently. I’m very grateful to him.”
Ademola Lookman laughed when an Italian journalist suggested a street might be named after him in Bergamo. “I feel the support from the fans from the first minute I was in Bergamo,” he said. “The city gives me a sense of calmness. It’s a very relaxed city, which has helped me focus on the important things.”
Felix Emanus, Lookman’s mentor and coach from his youth side Waterloo, shared his emotions with TNT Sports. “Sky high,” he said. “We’ve been dreaming about this since Ade was a kid at Waterloo. Tonight was a dream come true. I cried when the third goal went in. I’m so happy for Ade. He works so hard, always wants to get better, and wants to reach the top.”
Atalanta’s success is historic, marking only their second trophy in their 116-year history, following the 1963 Coppa Italia. This victory also made them the first Italian team to win the Europa League since 1999. Just a week ago, they lost the Coppa Italia final to Juventus, making this triumph even more remarkable.
Gasperini, who took charge of Atalanta in 2016, expressed immense pride. “I am hugely proud for all of Italy because it was a cursed trophy. Winning it with Atalanta is one of those footballing fairytales that rarely crop up. It gives hope for meritocracy. You can show faith in other teams without big budgets. This team has grown with results while balancing the books, which is exceptional.”
As Atalanta savors this historic win, fans and players alike are already looking forward to what the future holds.
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