Waterloo Sports and Football Club
6 Apr 2026
From South London to The World
From Waterloo to the World Stage: Ademola Lookman’s Journey
Waterloo Sports & Football Club proudly celebrates Ademola Lookman, whose rise from South London to European and international football shows the power of grassroots development.
Waterloo’s impact on Mola began at 11, when coach Des Collier spotted a player from Peckham excelling in the Lambeth Schools League.
In 2008, he joined Waterloo under Des Collier, Felix Emanus and Norman Dawkins, playing in the Tandridge Youth Football League. Surrounded by talented teammates, Lookman scored consistently, showing the instinct and creativity that would define his game.
In the 2013/14 season, Waterloo moved him up to the Under-17s under Arnie and Oliver Reynolds - League, Cup, and London FA Cup champions and one of the club’s most tactically advanced teams. Training was intense and Lookman started on the bench. He persevered and earned his shirt, developing his tactical awareness, decision-making and resilience.
By the season’s end, he had attracted wider attention, including a six-week trial at Brighton & Hove Albion and interest from Category One clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool.
His moment came in an end-of-season London County match against Charlton Athletic Under-16s. Four Waterloo players were selected - Lookman was left out. Arnie Reynolds pushed for his inclusion. Off the bench, he immediately looked
threatening against academy opposition. After attending two training sessions, a behind-closed-doors in-house match was arranged, where he dominated, scoring four times and impressing with his movement, link up play and one-v-ones.
After the game Paul Senior, Head of Recruitment at Charlton FC spoke with Arnie Reynolds and asked him what we want for Ademola. Arnie negotiated a two-year scholarship with an educational package to finish his A-Levels, plus a one-year professional contract - a clear pathway to the first team and that Felix Emanus would remain as mentor, so we can monitor his progress. The deal was urgent due to interest from Manchester United and Brighton. The contract was signed the same day, reviewed in-house by Oliver Reynolds, with Waterloo providing ongoing support.
Felix Emanus, his coach-mentor has been with him throughout - attending trials, guiding him through challenges, and continues to work closely with him to this day. Their partnership was publicly celebrated after Lookman’s historic UEFA Europa League Final hat-trick.
Alongside football, Lookman attended St Thomas The Apostle College in Nunhead, Peckham, where he became a prefect and earned five A grades at GCSE.
Professional Breakthrough
Lookman signed - and never looked back.
At Charlton Athletic, Lookman earned Championship Apprentice of the Year before making his professional debut just 18 months after signing his first professional contract - a rapid rise built on his talent and Waterloo’s foundations.
He then joined Everton, scoring on his Premier League debut against Manchester City, before moving across Europe with RB Leipzig, Fulham, Leicester City, and Atalanta. In 2026, he signed a four year contract with Atlético Madrid for a €40 million transfer fee.
International Success and Historic Triumph
Having represented England and won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017, scoring three goals, Lookman took on a key role for the Nigerian senior team in 2022, helping guide the Super Eagles to the AFCON 2023 Final.
In May 2024, he scored a historic hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League Final, leading Atalanta to a 3–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen - the club’s first major trophy.
That year, he was crowned CAF African Footballer of the Year and was included among the Ballon d’Or nominees, finishing 14th in the world.
Staying Grounded
Despite global success, Lookman remains deeply connected to South London and Waterloo. He supports programmes, inspires young players, and honours the mentors who shaped him, including Felix Emanus, who continues to work closely with him.
Lookman embodies everything Waterloo Sports & Football Club stands for: hard work, humility, resilience and the belief that where you start - whether in school playgrounds or local estates - should never limit how far you can go.