Ademola Lookman Gives Verdict on Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 Campaign After Winning Bronze
- Ademola Lookman has praised the Super Eagles for their strong showing at AFCON 2025
- Nigeria clinched bronze after a tense 4-2 penalty shootout win over the Pharaohs of Egypt
- The win was Nigeria’s ninth bronze medal in AFCON history, more than any other country
- Nigerian football expert Bright Akpotabor says the Super Eagles should be proud of their performance at AFCON
Ademola Lookman has revealed he is proud of the Super Eagles following their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco.
Nigeria ended the tournament on a positive note, securing the bronze medal after a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Egypt at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
Source: Getty Images
Although Nigeria fell short of reaching the final after losing to hosts Morocco in the semifinals, Lookman believes the squad can take pride in their overall performance, Africa Top Sports reports.
“It was a good competition from us. We scored a lot of goals, we created a lot of chances. We played some good football. We can be proud of what we have done,” Lookman said.
Lookman delighted with bronze medal
The third-place play-off between Nigeria and Egypt was tightly contested, with both teams failing to score during regular time.
The match went straight to penalties, where the Super Eagles held their nerve to defeat the Pharaohs 4-2 with Stanley Nwabali saving two penalties from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
Source: Getty Images
Lookman highlighted the importance of finishing the tournament on a high, noting that the victory over Egypt was a testament to Nigeria’s fighting spirit.
“Everyone wanted to win the gold medal, we came for the trophy but it didn’t happen. We leave that tournament with the bronze medal, and that is enough,” Lookman was quoted by Africa Soccer.
The 2024 CAF Player of the Year winner also underlined the contribution of the entire squad in achieving the result, acknowledging that the team’s determination and focus helped secure the podium finish.
Beyond the result, Lookman praised the team’s unity throughout the tournament.
The Atalanta forward believes maintaining cohesion and supporting each other was one of the key positives of Nigeria’s AFCON journey.
“We’re all in this together. That’s what we want, for everyone to stay united, stick together, and support each other,” he added.
Offensively, Lookman had a standout tournament, scoring three goals and providing four assists across seven appearances.
The Super Eagles forward won two Man of the Match awards and was instrumental in leading Nigeria’s attack from start to finish.
Nigeria were ranked as one of the outsiders for the AFCON title behind teams like Morocco and Senegal, who are set to play the final on Sunday, January 18.
Journalist backs Ademola Lookman's assessment
Just like Lookman, Nigerian Football expert Bright Akpotabor, in a chat with Legit.ng, says the Super Eagles should be proud of their performance at AFCON despite finishing third in the competition.
"Nigerians should be proud of this Super Eagles team because they represented the country well and even came back home with a medal when many did not give them a chance before the tournament.
"Eric Chelle has built a team the rest of Africa are scared to play against and that is a sign that the team is heading in the right direction."
Lookman rested for Egypt clash
Earlier, Legit.ng reported Super Eagles starting line-up for the third-place play-off match against Egypt with some top players resting on the bench.
The Franco-Malian manager made multiple changes to the team, which lost to Morocco, with African Footballers of the Year Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman starting on the bench.
Source: Legit.ng
