Dis year na beta year for Nigeria player Ademola Lookman
Dis year na beta year for Nigeria player Ademola Lookman sake of di extra-ordinary milestones wey make headlines across Europe and Africa.
From im performances for di Super Eagles during di 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to di ogbonge role im play to help Atalanta win dia first - eva European trophy di 27-year-old star dey kontinu to rise.
"E dey veri remarkable," Lookman tell BBC Sport Africa.
"I don come on leaps and bounds and na a defining year in terms of progress and di steps taken.
"But dis na just di start of hopefully sometin veri special."
Di progress of Lookman don make am enta di list as one of di 30 nominees for Ballon d'Or dis year.
Dem go announce di winner of di award for di biggest footballer for di world in Paris on Monday.
Ademola Lookman na di only African wey dey di men shortlist and e make am add more weight to im achievement.
"E dey special to dey on di list and even more special to be di only African," im tok.
"We (my teams) and me don achieve great tins dis year, [with] club and kontri.
"To dey recognised as one of di contenders na great achievement."
One of di special moments of Lookman dis year come for di Europa League final, wen im score a special hat-trick to lead Atalanta to victory against Bayer Leverkusen swey bin dey hope to di special unbeaten treble.
Im performance for di Aviva Stadium for Dublin make im skill, vision and composure under pressure shine well-well for evribodi to see.
Im become di first player to score three goals for European final since Jupp Heynckes for Borussia Monchengladbach for di 1975 Uefa Cup.
"Dat night dey special," Lookman remember.
"Di way we do am dey incredible becos Leverkusen bin dey on fire dat season.
"Na dat kain moments you wish and dream for."
Dat Europa League triumph na a fitting reward for a player wey don work hard to achieve im dreams.
Afta im grow up for South London and im start im career from di youth ranks of Charlton Athletic, im road to get di spotlight for di global stage no too straight.
Finding im groove for Bergamo
Lookman join Everton for £11m ($14.26m) deal wen im bin dey 19 years, but im bin show say im dey ready to adapt and learn wen im move to German club RB Leipzig
Loan spells back for di Premier League with Fulham and Leicester City follow, yet di forward dey shine since im switch to Atalanta in August 2022.
To comot go new kontri, learn new language and adapt to different football culture fit dey veri stressful, but Lookman dey excel for northern Italy.
"Coming out of my comfort zone no dey easy, but I dey open to dat idea of learning and I want to dey beta - not just as a player, but as a pesin also," im tok.
"E don help me to do am, to grow as a man. I dey glad say I take dat step."
Im two years for Bergamo don dey transformative and im believe say di club attacking style of play under coach Gian Piero Gasperini don give am di opportunity to display im creativity for di field.
"Dem allow me to play my type of football," im explain.
"Di coach like us to attack, to score goals, to create. I don dey show my qualities."
Qualifying for dis season Champions League don give Lookman anoda opportunity to test im skills against some of di best teams for di world.
"Di feeling dey different... na special feeling e be," im tok.
"Na magical nights. Na big honour and a blessing to play for dat competition."
A Nigerian for heart
Despite im early success wit England youth teams, including winning di Under 20 World Cup for 2017, Lookman decision to represent Nigeria for di senior level always dey clear for im mind.
"I bin always be Nigerian, wey dem born and grow for di UK," im explain.
"I dey always dey in touch with my pipo, with di culture. I bin dey visit Nigeria from wen i be small pikin."
Di decision to switch im loyalty to di West Africans for 2022 bin dey veri easy for am sake of im deep-rooted connection to im heritage.
"Di group bin welcome me well from di first minute and take me in as one of dia own.
"Na honour to get dat [Nigeria] badge for my chest and to dey able to wear am wit pride."
Im performances for di Super Eagles don make fans like am well-well made and im bin play important role as one of di key figure wey help Nigeria reach di 2023 Afcon final.
Lookman three goals for Ivory Coast make am enta di team of di tournament list, but Nigeria lose to di hosts 2-1 for di final.
"We bin come a bit short, but [we dey] proud as a group to shown our football for dt manner," im mention.
While Lookman club career don reach new heights, Nigeria don face dia share of challenges dis year.
Di team 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign no too pure like dat, dem neva balance, and di change of coaches and coaching crew evritime.
Even wit dis problems, Lookman still get hope about di future of di team, wit qualifiers for di 2025 Afcon wey go finish next month.
"I tink we dey positive for our approach for di past few games," im tok, as im mention say di team dey try to improve dia efforts to find consistency afta dem move top of dia Nations Cup qualifying group.
"Everybody know say we get beta quad wey talents plenti. And as we gel togeda, we go show am a bit more.
"All of us dey work hard towards di same goal."
Despite im accomplishments for 2024, Lookman no ready to rest on di laurels im don achieve.
"I dey anticipate di future becos I dey look forward to achieve great tins," im tok.
"I neva dey satisfied yet. Na my mindset be dat always - make we go for more.
"I just dey focused [to] keep on fighting for di tins I want."
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