Former Nigeria coach José Peseiro believes Ademola Lookman has grown to rival Victor Osimhen’s influence with the Super Eagles and insists the forward has the qualities to become a central figure at Atlético Madrid.

Although Osimhen has long been regarded as Nigeria’s leading figure, Peseiro said Lookman’s performances, particularly at the Africa Cup of Nations, have been equally decisive.

“Osimhen was the star, but Lookman has not been behind him. In fact, he has scored more goals. Now they are both key figures,” he told Marca, pointing to the winger’s hat-trick in the Europa League final for Atalanta as further evidence of his impact at club level.

Lookman has been the standout performer for the Super Eagles at back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, directly contributing to 11 goals (six goals and five assists) in 13 appearances that saw them winning a silver and bronze medal.

Peseiro, who handed Lookman consistent opportunities during his tenure, also dismissed suggestions that he is difficult to manage, describing him instead as grounded and responsive when given trust and freedom on the pitch.

“Lookman does not act like a star, he is very easy to manage, you just have to let him be free,” he said.

Peseiro said the 28-year-old’s immediate impression in Spain underlined his ability. He urged patience as the player settles but maintained that his composure and talent were already evident.

“Playing like that three days after arriving can only be explained by his quality. Now we must remain calm because he still needs to adapt, but it is already clear that he does not feel pressure. If you give him freedom and accept his boldness and creativity, Lookman has the potential to produce outstanding seasons and make an era at Atlético,” Peseiro said.

He described the transfer as a pivotal stage in Lookman’s career, adding that the move fulfils a long-held ambition to compete at the highest level in Europe while proving doubters wrong.

“For him it is a challenge and a very important step because he has achieved the objective he always had of reaching one of the best clubs in Europe and continuing to prove to England that they made a mistake with him,” he said.

Peseiro revealed that conversations in 2022 helped lay the groundwork for Lookman’s resurgence. At the time, the forward had struggled for stability across spells at Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City.

The Portuguese coach said Lookman had spoken candidly about his disappointment after falling out of favour with England’s youth set-up despite winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017.

“He was still young, but he often told me how sad he was that after winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and progressing to the Under-21s, England stopped calling him up. He did not understand it and believed he had a future there, but he had to accept it,” Peseiro revealed.

Now approaching his peak years, Lookman has added defensive discipline and physical strength to his attacking qualities, according to his former coach. Peseiro said the demands of Italian football accelerated his development.

“He has become more mature and complete. He can shoot, pass and beat opponents one against one. He has also improved greatly defensively and physically,” he said.

“He told me he suffered more in training in Italy than in Germany or England, but through effort he progressed in an area that was necessary. He is very professional and resilient. Even if it is not obvious at first glance, he fights, presses, defends and is very strong physically.”

Peseiro believes Lookman is at his most effective operating centrally behind a striker, where he can exploit pockets of space and influence matches with goals or assists.

“On the wing he can destabilise opponents and make good diagonal runs, but his best position is behind the forward. When he finds space inside, he can shoot, dribble or assist. That is where he is most decisive,” he added.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Victor Osimhen has been named among the world’s most prolific international goalscorers of the current decade alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Super Eagles striker made the podium for the Top Scorers of National Teams in the third decade of the 21st century (2021-2030) rankings, placing him in elite company with some of football’s biggest names.

Osimhen currently sits joint 14th on the list with Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrović, with both players recording 27 international goals since 2021.

The achievement highlights the Galatasaray forward’s elite consistency and places him firmly among the most prolific finishers in world football during the period under review.

A breakdown of his numbers shows steady production across the decade. He scored five goals in 2021, repeated that total in 2022 and 2023, added three in 2024, and exploded for nine goals in 2025, his most productive year yet.

At the summit of the IFFHS rankings is Norway’s Erling Haaland, who has scored 49 international goals since 2021, ahead of England captain Harry Kane on 46 and Argentina legend Lionel Messi on 44.

Cristiano Ronaldo follows closely with 41 goals for Portugal, while France’s Kylian Mbappe has 39. Also featuring prominently are the Netherlands’ Memphis Depay and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi on 34 each, Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Senegal’s Sadio Mane on 32, and Son Heung-min on 28 for South Korea.

Beyond the decade statistics, Osimhen’s overall impact for Nigeria continues to grow. Since making his Super Eagles debut in 2017, he has scored 35 goals in 51 appearances, establishing himself as the country’s second-highest goalscorer of all time.

Now Nigeria’s vice-captain, the 27-year-old has already overtaken greats such as Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Segun Odegbami, Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche. Only the legendary Rashidi Yekini remains ahead of him, by just two goals.

In 2025, Osimhen was the joint-fifth highest scorer worldwide in all competitions with a total of 46 goals for both his club and country. This made him the top African scorer of the year and represented the highest single-year tally for an African player since 2019.

The 2023 African Footballer of the Year has so far collected two AFCON bronze medals and one silver, but the continental title continues to elude him. With the 2027 tournament set to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Osimhen will be eager to turn individual milestones into international glory for Nigeria.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka could miss Coventry City’s upcoming fixtures as he prepares to welcome his child, manager Frank Lampard has revealed, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The midfielder, who joined the Sky Blues on loan from Brentford during the January transfer window, is yet to make his debut for the Championship leaders as his wife is due to give birth at any moment.

Lampard explained that the situation remains fluid and confirmed that while the club is eager to have the Nigeria international available, they fully respect and support his family commitments.

“Well, we hope so. He’s trained with us for a few days. His wife is due to have a baby at any moment now, so we’re managing that situation as it stands. I hope he’ll be involved because we’re hoping for him, of course,” Lampard said.

The 27-year-old has already been integrated into the squad and has taken part in training sessions since completing his move from Brentford, where he struggled for consistent playing time over the past two seasons.

Onyeka joined the Bees from Danish side Midtjylland in July 2021 in a deal worth around €10m, which at the time made him the most expensive signing in the club’s history. He was Brentford’s first signing of their Premier League era and played a key role in midfield during his debut campaign.

Coventry supporters are eager to see the Nigeria international in action, particularly given the importance of midfield stability in Lampard’s tactical setup. Onyeka’s energy, versatility and defensive awareness are expected to add balance and depth to the squad as they chase promotion to the Premier League.

The deal includes an obligation to buy should Coventry achieve promotion, and the midfielder has already expressed his commitment to helping the club return to the top flight.

“I’m very happy to be here. I’m a strong midfielder, I’m a winner, and I always want to fight for my teammates,” Onyeka said upon joining.

“My aim is to give 100 per cent, bring my experience and help the team get promoted to the Premier League and bring glory to the city again.”

Coventry currently sit at the top of the Championship table with 58 points, level with Middlesbrough but ahead on goal difference, making Onyeka’s arrival a significant boost to their promotion ambitions.

Coventry’s next game is against Middlesbrough on Monday, February 16.