Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has praised Ademola Lookman following the Nigerian forward’s contribution to his side’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday.
Speaking after the match, Simeone highlighted the collective effort of his players and singled out Lookman for his impact from the bench.
“I feel proud. We had talked about teamwork. Not just the 10 who started; we needed Koke’s talent, a bit more freshness from Julián, for Lookman to come on and perform better than he did,” Simeone was quoted as saying by Fichajes.
“But I have no doubt that the team’s collective effort was a consequence of the kind of game we wanted to play.”
Lookman has scored once in the 2026/27 La Liga season, with his only league goal coming against Sevilla on matchday three.
The former African Footballer of the Year has also been included in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Simeone has repeatedly praised Lookman since the forward joined Atletico in January, describing him as a player with qualities that have added a new dimension to the team’s attack.
Following Atletico’s progress to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, the Argentine coach said Lookman had continued to improve both offensively and defensively.
“He continues to evolve completely. He’s improving a lot defensively. He’s gaining a lot of weight within the team,” Simeone said after Atletico’s quarter-final victory over Barcelona.
Lookman scored in Atletico’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the second leg, a result that secured a 3-2 aggregate win for the Madrid club.
Simeone also described the Nigerian as a unique player within his squad.
“We’re playing with four forwards, although Giuliano is described as a full-back, midfielder and striker. In Ademola’s case, he has more qualities; I saw that in Nigeria. He’s got it,” the Atletico boss said.
Lookman has been a key figure in Atletico’s recent progress, helping the club reach the Champions League semi-finals and the Copa del Rey final, where they are set to face Real Sociedad.
The Nigerian forward has registered four goals and four assists in nine matches across the Champions League and Copa del Rey, while adding two goals in eight La Liga appearances.
Overall, Lookman has recorded six goals and four assists in 17 appearances across all competitions since joining Atletico, underlining his growing importance in Simeone’s side.
The 28-year-old is expected to link up with the Super Eagles squad following Atletico’s latest victory as Nigeria prepare for their forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.
