London-born Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, scored a stunning hat-trick to hand Atalanta a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen and the Europa League title on Wednesday.
He scored twice in the first 26 minutes before sealing the win 15 minutes from fulltime to give his team just the second major trophy in their 117-year history.
“We played a fantastic game tonight. In all areas, I think from the first minute we showed our intent. We played a fantastic first half. And in the second half, we didn’t rest on our laurels. We kept pushing,” he said.
Lookman’s three goals made him only the sixth player to score a hat-trick in a European final, the last one being in 1975.
Stealth in the penalty area, balance on the ball, deft footwork, and precise shooting with both feet were key elements in his standout performance.
The London-born Nigerian forward had struggled to establish himself in the English Premier League before reviving his career in Italy.
Even Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged that he was not acquiring a pure striker when Lookman joined the club two years ago.
The forward cited love and support from his family and African heritage, the trust he felt from Gasperini, and the tranquility of life in Bergamo as significant factors in his improvement.
“I’ve always had confidence in my ability to create, to score goals, to help my teammates. In the past two years, I’ve been able to elevate my game to a new level”, he said after the game.