Nigerians have expressed anger and disappointment after British media outlet Sky Sports omitted Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman from a graphic celebrating Atalanta’s Europa League victory. The graphic, posted on X.com by @SkyFootball, has sparked outrage among fans and supporters.
On Wednesday night, Lookman made history by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa League final. His performance was pivotal in Atalanta’s stunning 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, ending the Bundesliga champions’ 51-match unbeaten run in all competitions. This victory also marked Atalanta’s first-ever UEFA Europa League title and their first major title win since 1963.
Lookman’s first-half brace made him the first African to score two goals in the final of a major European competition. He cemented his historic night by scoring his third goal in the 75th minute, becoming the star of the match.
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However, Sky Sports’ social media post, which announced Atalanta’s victory with the caption “BREAKING: Atalanta have WON the Europa League after beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final in Dublin,” included only Gianluca Scamacca and Teun Koopmeiners in the image.
Investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) added, “Nigerian footballer Ademola Lookman, who scored all three goals that fetched Atalanta the trophy, did not make it to your cover photo? All of you @SkyFootball are collectively an unbelievable joke!”
The backlash highlights the pride Nigerians feel for Lookman’s achievements and their expectation for fair recognition from international media outlets. The incident has stirred a broader conversation about the representation of African athletes in global sports media.
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