Player Spotlight: Ademola Lookman and Achraf Hakimi

Today’s player spotlights shine a light on some of football’s most exciting talents. Here’s everything you need to know.

Ademola Lookman

Nigeria’s Europa League hero eyes a full debut season in Madrid

Atletico Madrid / Nigeria | Winger / Forward | Nigerian

Key stat: Second most expensive Nigerian footballer ever after his 35 million euro move to Atletico Madrid

Lookman joined Atletico Madrid from Atalanta in February 2026 on a deal running to 2030, becoming the second most expensive Nigerian player behind Victor Osimhen.

The 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year famously scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final to hand Bayer Leverkusen their only defeat of that season.

With the Spanish season concluded, he is preparing for his first full campaign in La Liga while Atletico had 12 players at the World Cup.

“I want to keep making history with this club — Ademola Lookman on joining Atletico Madrid”

— Ademola Lookman

Achraf Hakimi

Morocco’s captain becomes the most-capped African in World Cup history

Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco | Right-back | Moroccan

Key stat: 13 World Cup appearances, a record for any African player

Hakimi surpassed Francois Omam-Biyik and Asamoah Gyan during Morocco’s 4-2 win over Haiti, in which he scored, assisted and won Player of the Match.

Fresh from another Champions League triumph with PSG, he captained the Atlas Lions through a dramatic penalty shootout win over the Netherlands.

Today he leads Morocco against Canada in Houston with a quarter-final place on the line.

“We’re not done yet — Achraf Hakimi after Morocco reached the Round of 16”

— Achraf Hakimi

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