Ademola Lookman has credited a welcoming dressing room environment for his seamless adaptation at Atlético Madrid following his January move from Atalanta BC.
The 28-year-old forward has made an immediate impact in La Liga, registering five goals and four assists in 14 appearances to quickly establish himself as a key attacking figure.
Reflecting on his early months in Madrid, Lookman praised the role of both teammates and staff in easing his transition.
“Coming into a new environment, a new group is never easy,” he said. “But being able to settle in well is credit to the people there — the staff and the players — because they welcomed me and made me feel comfortable, and that has translated onto the pitch.”
He also highlighted the importance of familiar faces, particularly former Atalanta teammates Juan Musso and Matteo Ruggeri, in helping him settle quickly.
“The connection I have with my teammates on and off the pitch helps a lot,” Lookman added. “I was teammates with Juan Musso and Matteo Ruggeri before, so naturally I spent more time with them at the beginning.”
Lookman’s strong start has bolstered Atlético Madrid’s attacking options as the club continues its campaign, with the Nigerian forward looking increasingly comfortable both on and off the pitch.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
