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Ademola Lookman became Atalanta's first-ever Ballon d'Or nominee but Gasperini wants the Super Eagles star to stay humble
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has some words of wisdom for Ademola Lookman following his impressive 14th-place finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Lookman, the only African player on the 30-man shortlist, has quickly risen to international recognition, but Gasperini made sure to remind him that his success is also a testament to the team supporting him.
Gasperini reminds Lookman of team support
The Ballon d’Or night was significant for Atalanta, marking the club’s first-ever player nomination, as well as Gasperini’s nomination for Coach of the Year.
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Although the night ended with trophies going to others—Rodri of Manchester City and Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, respectively—Atalanta’s presence was well deserved for their superb performances, especially last season.
Gasperini used the opportunity of the plane ride to Paris for the award ceremony to offer Lookman some grounding advice, telling the Nigerian, "He already knows that he wouldn’t be here if he didn’t have De Roon, Ederson, Djimsiti, and that whole group behind him,"
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"It’s not guaranteed that he would have done the same thing had he been playing for a different team.”
Stylish Lookman rocks Ballon d’Or ceremony alongside Atalanta bosses
Lookman has been a standout in Italy for Atalanta, finishing just behind Inter’s Lautaro Martinez as the second-highest Serie A player on the Ballon d’Or list.
The Super Eagles star travelled together with Gasperini and Atalanta’s owners, Antonio and Luca Percassi, as the Bergamo delegation proudly represented their club at the Theatre du Chatelet.
In a light-hearted moment, Gasperini asked Lookman about his attire for the evening. Lookman, known for his low-key style, revealed he wanted to skip the tuxedo but planned to wear a bow tie for the occasion.
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The Atalanta manager must have prevailed on Lookman, however, as the Nigerian star turned up at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in an elegant, black, belted Tuxedo to take his place among football’s elite.
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