Lookman Leads Atalanta to Historic Europa League Victory

Ademola Lookman, a Nigerian international and a former player of Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City, became the hero of the night as he scored a stunning hat-trick to lead Atalanta to a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023-24 Europa League final. This victory ended Leverkusen’s remarkable unbeaten run of 51 games and brought Atalanta their first major trophy in 61 years.

Lookman’s first goal came within the opening 12 minutes after a composed finish from a pass by Davide Zappacosta. He doubled the lead with a wonderful finish from outside the 18-yard box, and completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute with a superb effort that flew past Leverkusen’s goalkeeper, Matej Kovar.

Atalanta, who had gone through an entire Bundesliga campaign undefeated, had not been beaten in 51 matches prior to Wednesday’s contest. This win also marked Atalanta as the first Italian team to win the competition since Parma beat Marseille in the 1999 showpiece.

The victory was celebrated by Atalanta’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, who had been striving for a major trophy for a long time. The last time Atalanta won a major trophy was in 1963 when they won the Coppa Italia.

This win also ended the 61-year wait for a major trophy for Atalanta and was a testament to the team’s resilience and determination. It was a night of celebration for Atalanta and their fans, as they became the champions of the Europa League for the first time in their history.