Reigning African Best Footballer Ademola Lookman reached a significant career milestone on Tuesday, scoring his 50th goal for Atalanta as the Bergamo club demolished Juventus 4-0 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The Nigerian international, who entered the match needing just one goal to reach the half-century mark for La Dea, capped off a dominant performance by his team with a well-taken strike after Atalanta had already built a commanding 3-0 lead.
Lookman’s historic goal put the finishing touches on an impressive display from Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who returned to winning ways in Serie A with the convincing victory. The reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year has been a transformative figure for Atalanta since joining the club, with his goalscoring prowess and technical ability helping establish them as one of Italy’s most exciting teams.
Atalanta controlled the match from the outset, opening the scoring in the 29th minute through Mateo Retegui’s penalty conversion. They quickly doubled their advantage just after halftime when Marten de Roon scored on a rebound in the 46th minute. Davide Zappacosta added a third following an ingenious backheel assist from Sead Kolasinac, setting the stage for Lookman’s milestone moment.
The Super Eagles star has proven to be one of the most successful African imports in Serie A in recent years. His achievement is particularly remarkable considering he arrived at Atalanta primarily known as a winger rather than an out-and-out goalscorer.
For Juventus, the defeat raises questions about their defence, which was comprehensively outplayed despite featuring former PSG striker Kolo Muani leading their attack. The French forward, who had helped Juventus to a 2-0 win against Hellas Verona last weekend, was unable to make an impact against Atalanta’s resolute defence.
For Lookman, this significant personal milestone reinforces his status as Africa’s premier footballer and one of Serie A’s most exciting talents.
