Jose Peseiro Reveals Ademola Lookman Turned to Nigeria After England Dream Faded

Former Nigeria head coach José Peseiro has revealed that Ademola Lookman opted to represent the country only after his hopes of playing for England came to an end.

Peseiro disclosed that the winger, who progressed through England’s youth system, had always dreamed of representing the Three Lions at senior level. Lookman was part of England’s triumphant squad at the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and also featured for the Under-21 team.

However, according to the Portuguese tactician, communication from the English national team setup suddenly stopped, leaving the young forward confused and disappointed.

“He was just a kid, but he always told me how sad he was because after winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and reaching the Under-21s, England stopped calling him up,” Peseiro recalled.

The former Super Eagles boss added that Lookman struggled to understand why he was no longer considered for selection.

“He didn’t understand it; he thought he had a future there, but he had to accept it,” Peseiro said. “So, since his parents were Nigerian, he accepted the call a few months before I arrived.”

Lookman eventually switched his international allegiance to Nigeria and has since become a key figure for the Super Eagles, establishing himself as one of the team’s most influential attacking players.