By Kayode John
Former Atalanta coach Cesare Prandelli has drawn a comparison between Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman and Udinese legend Antonio Di Natale.
Lookman has had a good time since joining Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022, and last season registered a personal best 17 goals and 10 assists, including a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final, to earn the club their first-ever European title at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen.
He was subsequently named the club’s Player of the Year. The winger picked up a nomination for the 2024 Ballon d’Or as the only African on the list. The 26-year-old has continued his stellar performance for the club his season, scoring three goals and registering three assists in seven appearances.
Prandeli who was at Atalanta in 1993 as a caretaker coach, believes the Nigerian star possesses some qualities as Di Natale, who spent 12 years at Udinese.
“Lookman reminds me of Di Natale, if we really look for a comparison,”
Prandelli said according to L’Interista.
“One thing is certain: He had never scored so many goals, Gasperini completed him.
“He has stamina, devastating counterattacks on 30-40 meters and always heads for the goal: his dribbles are never an end in themselves, but to attack the area.”
Lookman is being considered as a front-runner for the 2024 CAF Player Of The Year Award, and is in the 23-man squad named by Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen on Libya in the back-to-back 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers this month.
He scored a brace in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Eagles’ first game of the qualifiers in Uyo on September 7.
