'Very different' - Ex-Man City player showers praises on Ademola Lookman

Former Super Eagles and Manchester City player Kayode Olanrewaju has showered praises on Ademola Lookman for winning the African Player of the Year Award.

After a stellar 2023/2024 season, Nigeria's Lookman was coronated as the African Footballer of the Year on Monday night in Morocco.

Olarewaju described Lookman as "really different, very technical, can dribble, has a great pass, and nice shooting technique."

He suggested that Lookman has the potential to become Nigeria's first-ever Ballon d'Or winner.

"Lookman is in form, and he's doing well. For me, it's Lookman, nobody else. He had a great season, and I'm sure he'll continue to excel," Olanrewaju stated.

He also praised two other Super Eagles players, Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface. Olanrewaju defended Victor Boniface, who has faced criticism for his national team performances.

He argued that comparisons between European and African football are unfair, citing differences in facilities and overall infrastructure.

"People are always questioning Boniface's performance with the Super Eagles, but it's not all about the national team. He just needs time. You can't compare European football with African football; it's different. Look at the facilities, stadiums, and other things, it's totally different," Olanrewaju explained.

Olanrewaju emphasised the need for improvements in Nigeria's football infrastructure, using Morocco as a positive example.

He highlighted the superior quality of Morocco's facilities, pitches, and training grounds, attributing their recent success to this investment.

"Morocco's facilities, pitches, and training grounds are totally different from ours. They're well-kept, and organized, and that's why they're doing well. Morocco is bound to be in the World Cup final soon. We need to learn from them," Olanrewaju observed.

The forward signed a four-year deal with Manchester City in 2017 but was immediately loaned out to Girona for the 2017–18 season. Olanrewaju currently plays for the Turkish club Sanlıurfaspor.