The Africans chasing European glory and history
Will Ayoub El Kaabi (left) and Sebastien Haller (right) follow Ademola Lookman in lifting a European trophy?
- Published
One African has already written himself into football history as Europe's major club competitions reach their climax.
Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman became the first player from the continent to score a hat-trick in a European final as his treble for Atalanta downed Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old became just the fifth man to strike three times in a Uefa final - and the first since 1975 - as he helped end a 61-year trophy drought for the Italian side.
The win was all the more special because it came against a Leverkusen side who had gone 51 matches unbeaten in all competitions this season.
With two more European finals to come there are further history-makers waiting in the wings, with all four teams involved having African representation.
Below, BBC Sport Africa runs down other men who have made key contributions and could be adding to their trophy cabinets over the next week and a half.
Can El Kaabi fire Greek giants to maiden title?
Ayoub El Kaabi has scored 32 goals since joining Olympiakos from Qatari side Al-Sadd last August
Despite registering a record 47 Greek league titles, Olympiakos are yet to lift a major continental trophy.
The giants from the port of Piraeus could break that duck against Italian club Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League next week - and Morocco's Ayoub El Kaabi has been a major factor in their progress to the final.
The 30-year-old striker is the top scorer in this season's competition with 10 goals, with half of that tally coming in the semi-final win over Aston Villa.
El Kaabi struck a hat-trick in the first leg, a 4-2 win away from home, and added two more in the return as the Greeks sealed a 6-2 aggregate victory.
Fellow Atlas Lions forward Youssef El Arabi and Guinea midfielder Mady Camara have also featured in the campaign.
The fact the final on Wednesday, 29 May is being played at the home of rivals AEK Athens would make a title win all the sweeter for Olympiakos.
Standing in their way are La Viola, who have Angola forward M'bala Nzola and Ghana midfielder Alfred Duncan in their ranks.
Nzola has chipped in with three goals - including an injury-time winner in the first leg of their last-four clash against Club Bruges - and provided two assists, while Duncan has featured five times on the road to Athens.
Haller in line for Nations Cup-Champions League double
Will Sebastien Haller be fit in time to help Borussia Dortmund win a first Champions League title since 1997?
Sebastien Haller could join a very select club when Borussia Dortmund take on Spanish giants Real Madrid in the Champions League final in London on Saturday, 1 June.
The 29-year-old striker capped a remarkable comeback from testicular cancer when he scored the winner in the Africa Cup of Nations final for Ivory Coast in February.
Now, he could become just the third man to become a major continental champion in Africa and Europe in the same season.
Former Cameroon pair Samuel Eto'o and Geremi helped Real to the Champions League title in 2000 after winning the Nations Cup earlier in the year, with Geremi still with Madrid for their triumph in 2002.
Haller has struggled with an ankle injury in recent weeks but could be on the bench at Wembley, while Algeria defender Ramy Bensebaini will miss out for Dortmund after suffering a ligament injury in March.
The Spaniards, meanwhile, are chasing a record-extending 15th European Cup/Champions League triumph as boss Carlo Ancelotti looks to retain the trophy.
Brahim Diaz, who made his Morocco debut in March after switching allegiance from Spain, contributed eight goals and seven assists as Real won La Liga.
The 24-year-old has largely been used as a substitute during the Madrid club's run to the final but will hope to win the competition for the first time after three seasons on loan in Italy with AC Milan.
Lookman toasts Atalanta triumph
Lookman celebrated on the Aviva Stadium pitch with his family after victory over Leverkusen
Ademola Lookman had netted in the second leg of Atalanta's semi-final win but the Nigeria forward could only have dreamt of the impact he would have on the final in Dublin on Wednesday.
He netted twice in the opening 26 minutes and completed his hat-trick with 15 minutes left to seal a 3-0 win in what was the Italian club's first European final.
He joins Real Madrid legends Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo di Stefano, AC Milan forward Pierino Prati, and Borussia Monchengladbach forward Jupp Heynckes in claiming the match ball in a European final - with all of those previous trebles coming in the 1960s and 1970s.
"I've always had the confidence in my ability," Lookman said.
"In the past two years I've been able to take my game to a new level and show it on a more consistent basis.
"I'm pleased with the progress I've made but this is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this."
Mali forward El Bilal Toure also claimed a winners medal after coming on as a late substitute but the strong African contingent at defeated German champions Bayer Leverkusen were left disappointed.
Lookman's Super Eagles team-mates Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella missed out on lifting the trophy after coming off the bench, while Burkina Faso defender Edmund Tapsoba and Morocco forward Amine Adli did start the match but were also unable to influence the outcome.
Ivory Coast centre-back Odilon Kossounou, an unused substitute, failed to add the Europa League title to the Nations Cup he won in February.
However, Leverkusen have the chance to bounce back straight away when they face Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on Saturday.
