FOR decades, football fans in Nigeria have lived in the distant memories of the mid-to-late 90s and the early 2000s. That era had Kanu Nwankwo as an “Invincible” with Arsenal; Sunday Oliseh anchoring the midfield for teams like Juventus and Borussia Dortmund; and Austin Okocha dancing with the ball at the Reebok Stadium.
It was a period when Nigerian players were regulars at some of the most hallowed football cathedrals in Europe.
But after years of seeing the country’s players relegated to the periphery of the global game, that sense of relevance for Nigerian footballers may have just returned.
Ademola Lookman’s mid-season move to Atlético Madrid represents a shift.
“It is a fantastic move. You are going to be under the tutelage of one of the best managers in world football, Diego Simeone… As far as I’m concerned, it is a brilliant move,” Oliseh said on the Global Football Insights podcast.
“By going there, he has saved our football because now young players can hope and dream of reaching these top leagues again.”
This shift answers a long-standing plea from former Super Eagles coach George Finidi. Last July, the ex-Ajax winger was unequivocal: “You must dream bigger,” he said, insisting Nigerian footballers belong at the “highest level” with “big clubs.”
Lookman arrives in Madrid as a hero from Bergamo, fresh from a historic hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, the first player ever to achieve the feat—having turned down a move to Turkey.
“Proud and excited to start this new chapter. I’m happy to join Atlético de Madrid a massive club with rich history and passion,” the excited player wrote following his unveiling.
“New city, new challenges, new energy. I’m ready to give everything on the pitch and fight for these colors every time I step out there.”
Ademola Lookman is signing for Atletico Madrid on Monday, February 2, 2026. Photo credit: Atletico Madrid
Oliseh did not mince words about the choice. Although the Turkish Super Lig offered a bigger paycheck, Lookman opted for a league that demands elite performances every week.
“He also makes good money playing in La Liga. While it may not be as much as he presumably would have received in the Turkish league, you have to think about your career and its relevance,” the former Super Eagles captain said.
“I must congratulate his agent, and I hope his parents helped him make this decision because it is a fantastic move—not just for him personally, but for the Super Eagles as well.”
Ademola Lookman during his debut match. Ademola Lookman during his debut match. Credit: Atlético Madrid/X. Credit: Atletico Madrid/X
Though Lookman’s transfer may be the crowning moment of Nigeria’s January window, it was not an isolated statement of intent.
He hit the ground running in his first game, scoring as Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis 5-0 to advance to the last four of the Copa del Rey.
“Proud to wear this badge for the first time, happy to get my first goal, and even happier with the win. Aupa Atleti!!” he posted on X after also bagging an assist in the match.
Proud to wear this badge for the first time, happy to get my first goal, and even happier with the win. Aupa Atleti!!
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali also chose movement over comfort, parting ways with South African club Chippa United by mutual consent.
“Chippa United Football Club confirms that Stanley Nwabali has formally submitted a request to depart the club. After careful consideration, the club has agreed to grant his release,” the Premier Soccer League side announced on Thursday.
The club paid tribute to the Nigerian goalkeeper for his service and professionalism, noting that his “contribution to the club will always be appreciated.”
For Nwabali, however, the decision was less about departure and more about ambition.
“I leave with a heart full of gratitude and a lifetime of cherished memories,” he wrote in an emotional farewell, thanking fans, coaches, and teammates while hinting that his journey was far from complete.
His rise has been anything but ordinary. After joining the Premier Soccer League from Katsina United in 2022, Nwabali’s performances at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations announced his arrival on the continental stage.
By the 2025 AFCON, where he helped Nigeria secure a bronze medal saving successive penalties from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, he had cemented his national relevance.
Yet the road ahead remains complex. For African goalkeepers, breaking into Europe’s top leagues is notoriously difficult, a reality acknowledged by former Nigerian beach soccer international Abu Azeez.
“I would be happy seeing Stanley Nwabali joining one European team, though the chances are slim,” Azeez wrote on X. “Some African teams pay way bigger and better than some foreign teams.”
Still, by requesting a move, the former Enyimba goalkeeper is asking for more. It is a refusal to settle.
Elsewhere in Europe, Olympique de Marseille have signed Nigeria’s Tochukwu Nnadi for €6 million. The 22-year-old midfielder arrived from Zulte Waregem in Belgium and is being touted as the long-term successor to Wilfred Ndidi.
Terem Moffi has also secured a high-profile opportunity, joining FC Porto from OGC Nice on loan with an €8 million option to buy, giving him a pathway to Champions League football.
The movement extends beyond the Metropolitano. Sadiq Umar ended his spell at Real Sociedad to join Valencia permanently for €5 million, while midfield engine Frank Onyeka has emerged as a target for promotion-chasing Coventry City, on loan from Brentford.
From Suleman Sani’s leap from Slovakia to RB Leipzig, the message is clear: Nigerian footballers no longer want the margins.
As Oliseh noted, Nigeria has “talent everywhere,” and with another set of AFCON qualifiers on the horizon, the Super Eagles must now match ambition with execution if they are to truly write their names back into football history.