Nigerians have expressed anger and disappointment after a British media outlet, Sky Sports, omitted Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, from a graphic celebrating Atalanta’s Europa League victory.
Lookman made history on Wednesday night by becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Europa League final.
The omission has sparked outrage, with many calling out Sky News for their oversight.
Lookman’s Atalanta stunned Bayer Leverkusen 3-0, ending the Bundesliga champions’ 51-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
This was also Atalanta’s first-ever UEFA Europa League title and their first major title win since 1963.
Lookman was the star of the night, scoring his third goal of the game in the 75th minute.
Lookman’s first-half brace made him the first African to score two goals in the final of a major European competition before he added a historic third.
Sky Sports posted an image on its X handle on Wednesday evening with the caption “BREAKING: Atalanta have WON the Europa League after beating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the final in Dublin”. However, the image only included Gianluca Scamacca and Teun Koopmeiners.
The post has been bashed on the internet, especially on X.com, for excluding Lookman, who scored all three goals.
Nollywood actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim, who tweets as @NseIkpeEtim, said, “This is shocking. Ademola Lookman scores a beautiful hat-trick and you couldn’t bring yourself to use an image of his. Sure you can do better.”
Also, investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, tweeting with the handle @fisayosoyombo, said, “Nigerian footballer Ademola Lookman, who scored all three goals that fetched Atlanta the trophy did not make it to your cover photo? All of you @SkyFootball are collectively an unbelievable joke!”
A photojournalist who tweeps with the handle @PoojaMedia, said, “You are reporting the final without the history maker. Reason we’ve to hype our own to heavens but de@d heads will be dragging us. Una see now?”
Another X user, @Xandyy_Jay, said, “The whole world condemns this act. You can do better. Ademola Lookman should be the first person here. Why are you so biased?
Osbert Nduka
June 27, 2018 at 8:42 am
Missing scoring chances in a soccer game portends loss of such game. Nigeria’s lot.
Furo Brown
June 27, 2018 at 9:40 am
Please please you have made us so sad, we don’t need any talk from you now.
Ali Oluwatayo Samuel
June 27, 2018 at 9:51 am
Medicine after death
Gbolahan Benjamin
June 27, 2018 at 10:34 am
medicine after death, we don’t need ur apology a striker that can’t deliver
damilare gideon
June 27, 2018 at 10:47 am
please and please we dont need any talk from you now you make us so sad ,i was regret i was born in this country…. so stupid player…after you be claiming your self you good.
ottih
June 27, 2018 at 1:40 pm
It is very bad for someone to play against his own team.. that is what you did. you did it in Iceland match and repeated it again in Argentina game.. Ighalo, you are very wicked just because you were not started before musa and stupid iheanacho..
Ighalo
June 27, 2018 at 8:46 pm
FIFA is full of cheat.
Esential
June 27, 2018 at 4:03 pm
U really tried ur best… Kudos to u….
James
June 27, 2018 at 4:41 pm
We don’t blem u ,after all u play ur football in China n we don’t expect anything gud other dan fake things from China
ibkay
June 27, 2018 at 8:49 pm
Can anybody on this page tell me when last did this dude scored for Nigeria….it’s a shame that a nation of over 190mil people cannot be bost of a potent striker.
sheaku
June 27, 2018 at 8:55 pm
firstly with tears in my heart may thunder from thunder from the bottomless pit of hell fire kill the ref and his entire generation for accepting bribe from Argentina.
secondly, messi no matter how much u tried u will never carry world cup u are a cheat instead may God bless CR7 to win it I hate u with passion.
thirdly, ighalo or what ever u called ur self don’t try to play naija game again because I personally will bomb ur family to ashes abi u no believe boko u buch of disgrace.
fourthly, naija we get players make we no dey depend on all this China made players na me sheaku king of BOKOHARAM.
Ola2
June 27, 2018 at 9:52 pm
this guy is not a striker even KELECHI nwakali and USMAN Mohammed that were left behind are better than him.He has finished his career in Nigeria without celebration like KANU, Okocha,we need hungry strikers not lazy striker
UB
June 27, 2018 at 9:56 pm
it is OK. you guys tried. just work on your self to be a deadly striker. you can still be a very dangerous striker, just work on your self through hardworking.
Egbeokaruwa Anthony
June 28, 2018 at 6:24 am
Why is Nigerians always different, how many of you commenting rubbish here can do what they did, are they the first or only term to come home?, did Germany 🇩🇪 not go home, did the rest Africa term not go home before us, did they kill them?, ungrateful bastard. You were hailing muss not quiet long but now you are against them. IGHALO You have nothing to apologize for after all its just a game. NOR BE UNA SET START TO DEY LOOSE WORLD CUP, WHEN DEM EVEN WIN THE CUP LAST AND WHO DEM KILL FOR THE FAILURE?????