The coach of Serie A club, Atalanta, Gian Peiro Gasperini, has no doubt incurred the wrath of football fans around the world with his scathing criticism of Africa’s best player, Ademola Lookman, who recently missed from the penalty spot in the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off fixture against Club Brugge. Atalanta eventually lost the match 1-3.

After the team’s defeat, Gasperini publicly criticised the Super Eagles star. He shocked many, especially the fans of the player when he said: “Ademola Lookman is one of the worst penalty-takers I have ever seen.”

He also claimed that Lookman misbehaved because he insisted on taking the kick despite the presence of other designated takers. Therefore, the coach said: “I didn’t like what Lookman did.”  

However, a few hours after the verbal attack on him, Lookman also issued a statement expressing how deeply hurt he was for being singled out for criticism.

He said, “Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and the incredible fans of Bergamo.”

Furthermore, contrary to the claim by the coach that he insisted on taking the kick, Lookman made it clear that the designated penalty takers who lacked composure at that moment due to pressure were the ones who permitted him to shoulder the responsibility.

“During the match, the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty, and to support the team, I took responsibility in the moment to do so,” insisted Lookman.

He went on to narrate how he had endured difficult moments in the club but never for one day voiced out his pains, just to protect the interest of his club. According to him, it is against this background that he is deeply hurt by Gasperini’s uncomplimentary remarks.

 It is against this background that most of us have no option other than to share in the pain of this dutiful and humble player who is always giving his hundred per cent to club and country.  So, when the coach made the strong remarks about Lookman, it came as a surprise to many of us because what happened was unfortunate but it wasn’t enough reason to condemn his best player in such a cruel manner.

In any case, Gasperini has exposed himself as a racist with a very bad memory. If he does not know, this same player he attempted to rubbish is the one who has lifted Atlanta to an enviable height in European football. Lookman singlehandedly won for Atlanta their first major European trophy since the club was renamed Atalanta Bergamasca in 1920. Indeed, Lookman’s hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in May 2024 underscored his exceptional goal-scoring abilities.

For some time now, Lookman has become such an important player that many have said he is like a tree that can make a forest. Once he is unavailable, Atalanta struggle to win. In fact, since he aggravated a knee injury about three weeks ago during a training session ahead of the Champions League fixture against Barcelona, Atlanta have continued to fumble and wobble in Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League. The club literally struggled to win without him.

As a matter of fact, what makes Gasperini’s verbal attack on Lookman more baffling is that this same player was the one who reduced the deficit for his club when he came on as a substitute in the ill-fated match against Club Brugge. These same ‘highly rated’ penalty takers were on the pitch for so many minutes, yet none of them scored. However, less than 35 seconds after he came on, Lookman scored the goal that revived Atalanta’s hopes of survival. He also made history by becoming the first Nigerian to score in four consecutive UEFA Champions League matches.

Unfortunately, he missed the opportunity to earn for himself a brace and give his club a more realistic chance of fighting back to remain in the Champions League. However, even if he was successful from the penalty spot, there was no guarantee that Atalanta would cancel the remaining goal. So, Gasperini’s outburst was unnecessary. He should have restrained himself from disrespecting his best player in the manner he did.

Well, in my opinion, the attack on Lookman was borne out of bitterness and frustration over his inevitable departure from the club later in the year. The coach is simply showing his frustration because no manager is ever happy to lose his best player to another club. However, for the coach to make comments that are laced with racism is rather unfortunate. Many have observed, and rightly so, that if Lookman were a European player, Gasperini wouldn’t have disrespected him in such a manner.

Anyway, that unfortunate incident has happened already. It has only highlighted the well-known disrespectful behaviour of most European coaches towards African players. They are hardly given their due respect even when it is obvious that they are more talented than their European teammates. Even when they are adored and worshipped, there is always that moment of betrayal.

Since Lookman is Super Eagles’ best player at the moment, and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will resume next month, it is our responsibility to help him overcome this psychological blow. Everything humanly possible should be done to make him understand that Gasperini’s shocking comments can’t and shouldn’t define him. He should know that as the reigning African Footballer of the Year and Ballon d’Or finalist, he is simply among the best strikers in the world.

Moreover, it is doubtful if there was any player who scored every penalty kick.  Even the legendary Pele and Diego Armanda Maradona didn’t earn such a record. In fact, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe – as prolific as they are – have missed penalty kicks several times.

So, there is nothing disgraceful about what happened to Lookman. If Gasperini wants to devalue Nigeria and Africa’s best simply because in a few months he would lose him to a bigger club, he has failed woefully. Lookman is so exceptional that he will never be in want of suitors.