Ademola Lookman as... Puskas and Di Stefano.

Manos Staramopoulos • 23 de mayo de 2024

What record did Atalanta's star player equal with his hat trick in winning the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen

Ademola Lookman, great star of Atalanta in the final Europa League match against Bayerl Leverkusen. He scored the goals of his team's victory

"Unbridled" Ademola Lookman! The Nigerian winger was the absolute star of Atalanta and by "smashing" Bayer Leverkusen's defense with a hat trick, he gave the first Europa League to the Bergamaskis, thus breaking into the Italian history books.


However, this was not the only reason why the awesome Lookman made history. The 26-year-old became the first footballer to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final and the first to do so in any UEFA competition final since 49 years since Jupp Heynckes in 1975! So, he tied an absolutely haunted record and sent Atalanta into the sky.


Disappointment was written all over her face. It was February 11th, in Abidjan. Nigeria had recovered thanks to goals from Kessie and Haller and left the Africa Cup of Nations to the hosts Ivory Coast. Ademola Lookman remained at the foot of the podium, tears in his eyes. That medal that no one wants to keep around their neck, burns, leaves its mark. He deleted it. Like no one could probably even imagine. Scoring three goals in a European final and dragging Atalanta to the top of a peak they had never reached before. Not only from the Goddess but not even from another Italian team. We were stuck at the 1999 Parma UEFA Cup. Since the second continental event changed its name, we had never lifted it.


We can confidently say that Ademola does not know who Pierino Prati, Pierino the plague, is. He left us in 2020. Imagine, he was the last to score a hat-trick in a European final for an Italian. He had brought AC Milan to the top of Europe on 28 May 1969, lifting the European Cup, a 4-1 win over Ajax which made history. "It's the first hat-trick of my career, "I'm very happy, we've made history and the cup is coming to Bergamo - the Nigerian told Sky -. Incredible. The club's ambition is to win, it was a collective effort, each done his part." Ever in a UEFA Cup/Europa League final, the last to score a hat-trick was Jupp Heynckes in Borussia Mönchengladbach's 5-1 win over Twente.


7 seasons 5 teams


Sometimes it's a matter of trust. Lookman had worn five shirts in seven seasons: Charlton, Everton, Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester.   Then, in the summer of 2022, Atalanta signed him for just over nine million euros. Spend well, spend a lot. There is a huge difference. Then there isn't always a happy ending, you don't always get it right. But coincidentally, in those parts the donuts very often end up with a hole. So it's no coincidence. It can't be. Ademola flew on that left flank. He touched the ball with a delicacy that almost seemed like he didn't want to hurt it. But to make her understand that he was a very sweet, tender object to be caressed. She understood this and meekly glued herself to his feet. She repaid him when he was forced to kick her a little more "badly", ending up where Ademola wanted, almost as if she were remote-controlled.


Touch with the door wide open, left turn, saber in the seven. Three goals, one better than the other. Three pearls. Thirty-three goals in seven seasons, 30 with Atalanta in two seasons. Crazy stuff, Lookman stuff. At 19 he scored on his Premier League debut for Charlton in the 4-0 win over Manchester City. Then he seemed to be lost. No, he was just looking for Bergamo and Gasperini. He found them, or rather, they found him.

Players with a hat-trick in a UEFA competition final

 

Ferenc Puskas - Real Madrid (Champions League 1960, 1962)

Alfredo Di Stefano - Real Madrid (1960 European Cup)

Pierino Pratti - AC Milan (1969 European Cup)

Jupp Heynckes - Gladbach (UEFA Cup 1975)

Ademola Lookman - Atalanta (Europa League, 2023)



Manos Staramopoulos

Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs

Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com

Athens (Greece)

   Post recientes


Carlo Ancelotti coach of Real Madrid`s
Por Manos Staramopoulos 27 de marzo de 2025
Brazil wants a new head coach after the defeat against Argentina 4-1 in Monumental Stadium. The italian coach is number one candidate.
James Rodriguez, fue uno de los jugadores de más bajo rendimiento  de Colombia ante Paraguay.
Por Juan Carlos Quiñonez Bonilla 26 de marzo de 2025
Colombia, termina esta fecha de eliminatorias confirmando que su nivel futbolistico sigue en picada. Y lo más preocupante es que no hay visos de recuperación. Nublado a nivel de ideas.
España igualó a dos con Países Bajos en la ida de cuartos de final de la UEFA Europa League.
Por Juan Carlos Quiñonez Bonilla 20 de marzo de 2025
La selección campeona de Europa extendió su racha de partidos invicto a 17, tras igualar a dos con los Países Bajos en Rotterdam
Gustavo Matosos en su etapa como entrenadxdor del CD León en 2014.
Por Teofilo Barrientos 18 de marzo de 2025
El entrenador de origen argentino fue determinante en el ascenso del Léon a la Primera División mexicana.
El Club Léon es el  principal escolta del América en la Liga MX.
Por Teófilo Barrientos 17 de marzo de 2025
El cuadro liderado por James Rodríguez, se enfrentará en Los Ángeles al Municipal de Guatemala.
Antonio Rudiger anotó  el  gol del triunfo en  la tanda de penaltis ante Atlético Madrid.
Por Juan Carlos Quiñonez Bonilla 12 de marzo de 2025
En una actuación floja en todo el partido, el cuadro de Carlo Ancelotti, tan sólo fue superior a su rival en la tanda de penaltis en donde venció 2-4. La polémica no faltó con un gol de penalti anulado a Julián Álvarez. Atlético Madrid mereció más.
Gigi Donnarumma goalkeeper of PSG
Por Manos Staramopoulos 12 de marzo de 2025
Donnarumma was the star of PSG's journey to the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League.
FC Barcelona  will play qualified to Quarter finals offf Champions League.
Por Manos Staramopoulos 12 de marzo de 2025
Barça, qualified for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday (11/3), scoring 3 goals against Benfica.
Gigi Donnarumma fue capital en el  pase del PSG a cuartos de la Champions
Por Juan Carlos Quiñonez Bonilla 11 de marzo de 2025
El portero italiano Gigi Donarumma, fue definitivo en la tanda de penaltis con dos atajadas y su equipo compitio a gran nivel para asegurar el pase a los cuartos de final de la Champions.
Share by: