Ademola Lookman biography: Wife, family & net worth of Super Eagles star

Ademola Lookman is a 28-year-old professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga side Atletico Madrid and the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

He is the 2024 CAF African Player of the Year, the first player in 49 years to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Cup or UEFA Europa League final, and the 14th-place finisher in the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

Born in Wandsworth, Greater London, on 20 October 1997 and raised in Peckham, Lookman began his professional journey at Charlton Athletic before working his way through Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, Leicester City and Atalanta to his February 2026 signing at the Metropolitano.

His game is defined by explosive acceleration, two-footed dribbling and elite finishing from wide positions, all of which highlighted his Europa League final hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in May 2024 and his subsequent transfer to Atletico Madrid.

This piece provides a full look at Lookman’s background, family, personal life, net worth and international allegiance choice.

Ademola Lookman family: Who are his parents?

Ademola Lookman was born to Nigerian parents of Yoruba origin in Wandsworth, Greater London.

His parents supported his football ambitions while emphasising the value of education, and Lookman balanced both with distinction.

Before football took over his life, he had achieved three A-stars and five As at GCSE at St Thomas the Apostle College, a Roman Catholic secondary school on Hollydale Road in Nunhead.

How Ademola Lookman moved from Waterloo FC to Charlton Athletic

Lookman spent his childhood outside the professional academy system. From around the age of 11 in 2008, he played Sunday League football for Waterloo FC, a youth club in the London Borough of Lambeth, learning the fundamentals of the game on public pitches rather than inside a Premier League setup.

The breakthrough came in April 2014, when Waterloo were the London County FA’s representatives in the annual fixture against Charlton Athletic Academy. Then aged 16, Lookman impressed enough during that single match to earn a trial and, subsequently, a scholarship at Charlton.

His rapid progression through Charlton’s youth ranks led to his senior debut in November 2015, as a substitute in a 1-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Milton Keynes Dons.

His first Championship goal followed in December 2015 in a 3-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, and he ended the 2015/16 season with the Championship’s Apprentice of the Year award.

In January 2017, Everton signed him from Charlton for €8.8m. Lookman marked his Everton debut against Manchester City in memorable fashion, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute for Ross Barkley and scoring Everton’s fourth goal in a 4-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s side.

Choosing Nigeria over England: Ademola Lookman’s international switch

Lookman’s decision to represent Nigeria at senior international level was formally confirmed by FIFA in February 2022.

The switch came despite an already-decorated England youth international career that included appearances at U19, U20 and U21 level, and a FIFA U-20 World Cup winners’ medal earned in South Korea in June 2017.

Lookman featured throughout England’s U-20 World Cup victory in South Korea, contributing three goals across the tournament alongside the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke and Fikayo Tomori.

The switch to Nigeria was neither impulsive nor easy. In January 2020, the Nigeria Football Federation announced that Lookman would be switching allegiance, but the player pushed back as he continued to wait on his Three Lions dream.

Two years later, he made a U-turn on that decision and made his Super Eagles senior debut in March 2022 in a 0-0 draw against Ghana.

Does Ademola Lookman have a wife or girlfriend?

Ademola Lookman is not currently believed to be in a public relationship and has never been married.

The Super Eagles star was previously linked to Jayda Love, an Oklahoma-born, Dallas-based American IT specialist, whom he first went public with at the 2024 CAF Player of the Year awards ceremony in Marrakech in December 2024.

The couple confirmed their relationship that evening when they shared a kiss on camera at the gala.

However, the pair have not been photographed together since Lookman’s return to Lagos with the CAF Award in late December 2024, with sources claiming the couple had actually split before Lookman’s transfer from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid.

Ademola Lookman stepped out with his girl, Jayda Love last night😍 pic.twitter.com/er2GVWaFkJ

— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) December 17, 2024

The signs had been building for weeks. Jayda Love posted a solo Valentine’s Day set of photos in February 2026 and was notably absent from Lookman’s official Atletico Madrid unveiling.

Ademola Lookman reportedly breaks up with his American girlfriend Jayda Love pic.twitter.com/fP510flamK

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) March 12, 2026

Neither party has publicly confirmed the split or given a reason, in keeping with the low-key nature of the relationship throughout its run. Lookman has focused his public appearances entirely on his football at Atletico Madrid and with the Super Eagles.

Ademola Lookman state of origin: Which state is he from?

Though born in London, Ademola Lookman is of Nigerian descent, hailing from Lagos State. His full name, Ademola Olajade Alade Aylola Lookman, reflects his Yoruba heritage. 

Lookman’s strong connection to his Nigerian roots has been evident throughout his career, as he’s always donned an image of the Green and White flag on his football boots.

Ademola Lookman net worth

At the age of 28, Ademola Lookman has already cemented his place as one of the most exciting wingers in European football, and his January 2026 move from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid produced the biggest single pay rise of his career.

According to Capology figures, Lookman earns a gross fixed salary of €12.5 million per year at Atletico Madrid, equivalent to €240,385 per week, on the four-year contract he signed in February.

Performance-related bonuses add a further €3.13 million per year, taking his total potential gross annual earnings to €15.63 million and the total value of his contract to just over €58 million across the four seasons.

Those numbers make Lookman one of the second-highest paid players at Atletico Madrid, level with Argentina international Julian Alvarez and former Tottenham captain Cristian Romero on the same €12.5 million base figure.

Only goalkeeper Jan Oblak earns more within the Los Colchoneros dressing room, taking home a fixed €20.83 million per year, and Lookman sits ahead of established Atletico stars including Marcos Llorente and Alex Baena on the club’s wage structure.

The Atletico salary is a huge step up from the €2.3 million a year (€44,423 per week) Lookman had been earning during his Atalanta spell across the previous four seasons, and his career gross earnings across all his professional clubs, from his 2015 Charlton Athletic debut through spells at Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, Leicester City and Atalanta, are now tracked by Capology at approximately €51.55 million.

Combined with his ongoing endorsement portfolio and one-time CAF Player of the Year status, Lookman’s net worth is widely expected to sit well above the €10 million floor, putting him high on the list of Nigeria’s richest footballers.

What is Ademola Lookman’s religion?

Ademola Lookman’s full name might suggest Islamic roots, but the footballer has openly identified as a Christian. He has shared insights into his faith through interactions with platforms like “Ballers In God,” an Instagram page run by Christian footballers. 

In one conversation, Lookman explained how his faith and hard work have guided his career, stating, “Show God you really want what you say you want with your hard work, and He’ll reward you.” This declaration underscores Lookman’s belief that his footballing achievements are as much a product of his faith as they are of his effort.

Frequently asked questions about Ademola Lookman

Does Ademola Lookman have a wife? No, Ademola Lookman is not married. He is not currently believed to be in a public relationship after his previously reported relationship with Jayda Love ended in early 2026.

What is Ademola Lookman’s state of origin? Ademola Lookman is from Lagos State in Nigeria. Though born in London, his family traces its Yoruba heritage to Lagos State.

Did Ademola Lookman play for England? Yes, Lookman represented England at the U19, U20 and U21 levels before switching his international allegiance to Nigeria in 2022. He won the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup with England in South Korea, scoring three goals across the tournament.

When did Ademola Lookman switch to Nigeria? FIFA formally approved Lookman’s switch to Nigeria on 10 February 2022. He made his senior Super Eagles debut on 25 March 2022 in a 0-0 draw against Ghana in the FIFA World Cup African qualifying playoff.

How many trophies has Ademola Lookman won? Lookman has won the FIFA U-20 World Cup (2017, with England), the UEFA Europa League (2023/24, with Atalanta), and the 2024 CAF African Player of the Year award. He was also named to the 2023 AFCON Best XI as Nigeria finished runners-up.