Peseiro Reveals How England Snub Shaped Ademola Lookman’s Decision To Play For Nigeria

Former Super Eagles head coach José Peseiro has opened up on the emotional journey that led Ademola Lookman to switch his international allegiance from England to Nigeria.

Speaking about the Atlético Madrid forward, Peseiro explained that Lookman’s decision was influenced by disappointment after repeated omissions from England’s senior national team, despite his impressive rise through their youth ranks.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Lookman represented England at Under 19, Under 20 and Under 21 levels. However, his anticipated breakthrough into the senior side never materialised. In February 2022, FIFA officially approved his request to play for Nigeria.

Now a key figure for both club and country, the former African Footballer of the Year recently completed a late transfer to Atlético Madrid. Last weekend, he made history as the first English-born footballer to feature in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and La Liga.

Peseiro, speaking to Marca, reflected on Lookman’s career move and the motivation behind it.

He said, “For Lookman, it’s a challenge, and it’s a big moment in his career because now he’s reached one of the top clubs in Europe… and he can keep showing England that they made a mistake by not picking him for the senior team.”

The former coach also revealed how the player struggled to understand England’s decision to overlook him after a promising start.

“He was still quite young, but he frequently told me about how sad he felt,” he said. “After winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and moving up to the Under-21 team, England stopped inviting him to join the squad. He couldn’t understand it. He thought he could have a future there, but in the end, he had to accept the situation.”

Lookman ultimately committed to the Super Eagles before Peseiro took charge, embracing the opportunity to represent his parents’ homeland.

Since making the switch, he has made a strong impact, contributing directly to 11 goals in 13 international appearances, scoring six and providing five assists.