“I didn’t let myself get sidetracked”, the poignant confession of a football star

Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian international for Atalanta, spoke about his youth, a time during which he knew how to make the right decisions to rise and build his career.

After a convincing 2023-2024 financial year, marked by a coronation in the Europa League, Ademola Lookman began his third season in the colors of Atalanta Bergamo. Currently 7th in the Serie A standings with the Orobici (3 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats), the Nigerian striker recently looked back on his difficult childhood in an interview with France Football.

The London native notably explained how he managed to overcome the challenges posed by his difficult environment in the south of the English capital. He recognized that he had to make certain choices to avoid taking the wrong path.

“You must be able to fend for yourself, to resist pressure”

“Being from South London makes you strong, tough, robust, hard to break. (…) I learned to work hard, to apply myself, not to rest on my laurels. You must be able to fend for yourself, to resist pressure. Some people choose street life for different reasons. Going this route was never an option for me. I always tried to keep my friends away from it”confided the 2023 African vice-champion.

“In these streets you see a contrast between good and evil,” Lookman said. You try to stay focused on your path. Mine was home, school, football. Nothing else. And it was great. I wouldn’t say school and football were escapes. But I felt comfortable there, it suited me perfectly. I was able to separate where I came from from where I wanted to go, to make the right decisions. Whatever distractions and situations I saw or encountered, I did not let myself get sidetracked. »