Atalanta vs Leverkusen: 4 Records Set by Ademola Lookman With Hattrick in Europa League Final

• Ademola Lookman has set four new records with his hat-trick in the Europa league final
• The Nigerian international produced a 5-star performance as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen
• He has also emerged as a strong contender for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award

Nigerian international Ademola Lookman was the hero of the night as Atalanta thrashed Bayer Leverkusen to win the UEFA Europa League.

The 26-year-old forward netted a hat-trick during the highly-entertaining encounter and went on to set four records for himself.

He opened the scoring as early as the 12 minute when Zappacosta found him in the the six-yard box, as Lookman found his way around his marker and turned the ball into the net.

The second goal came in the 26th minute after the Nigerian appeared to nutmeg Granit and then whipped into the far corner from 20 yards out.

Atalanta vs Leverkusen: Lookman, Other Africans Who Qualified for Europa League Final

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Lookman then completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute after working the ball onto his left foot before smashing the ball into the top corner, winning it for his side 3-0.

It was a 5-star performance for the star, who went on to set four new records for himself. Following the hat-trick, Lukman becomes the following.

1. First player to score a hat-trick in Europa League final.
2. First to score a hat-trick for Atalanta in a European final.
3. First Nigerian to score a hat-trick in Europa League final
4. First African to score a hat-trick in the Europa League final.

AS reports that he becomes the second player to score a hat-trick in the final of a major European competition for an Italian side, after Pierino Prati in Milan against Ajax in the 1969 European Cup.

Ademola Lookman tipped for CAF Player of the Year Award

Europa League: Ademola Lookman nominated for Player of the Week

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Sports Brief earlier reported that Ademola Lookman becomes one of the frontrunners for CAF's 2024 African Player of the Year award after an outstanding run with both club and country this year.

The Super Eagles star has been influential for Atalanta this season, delivering the goods at key moments, including scoring in the semi-final of the Copa Italia against Fiorentina.

This puts him ahead of another player mentioned in the CAF Player of the Year award debate, Mohammed Kudus, who has made 19 goal contributions for West Ham United in this campaign.