Romelu Lukaku

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22 Feb 2024

Romelu Lukaku is a Belgian professional footballer known for his prowess as a striker. Born on May 13, 1993, he has had a notable career playing for several top clubs in Europe.

Early Career:

Lukaku joined his local team Rupel Boom at the age of five.
He played for Lierse from 2004 to 2006, scoring 121 goals in 68 matches.
Anderlecht purchased him in 2006, and Lukaku played three more years as a youth player with Anderlecht, scoring 131 goals in 93 matches.
He signed a professional contract with Anderlecht at the age of 16.

Anderlecht:

Lukaku became a regular member of Anderlecht's first team during the 2009–10 season, winning the Pro League title and finishing as the league's top goalscorer.

Chelsea:

In August 2011, Lukaku joined Chelsea for a reported fee of €12 million.
He spent the 2012–13 season on loan at West Bromwich Albion, scoring 17 goals.
Another loan followed in the 2013–14 season, this time to Everton, where he scored 15 goals.

Everton:

Lukaku signed a permanent deal with Everton in July 2014 for a then-club record fee of £28 million.
He continued to impress, scoring goals consistently and becoming the joint-highest scorer in the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League.

Manchester United:

Lukaku joined Manchester United in July 2017 for an initial £75 million fee.
He had a successful debut season, scoring 27 goals in all competitions.

Inter Milan:

Lukaku transferred to Inter Milan in August 2019 for a reported club-record fee of €80 million.
In his first season, he formed a prolific partnership with Lautaro Martínez and helped Inter reach the Europa League final.
Lukaku's second season with Inter was remarkable, scoring 24 league goals and winning the Serie A title in the 2020–21 season.

Return to Chelsea:

Lukaku returned to Chelsea in August 2021 for a reported club-record fee of £97.5 million.
He had a strong start, scoring on his second debut against Arsenal.

Loan to Inter Milan and Move to Roma:

In June 2022, Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on a season-long loan for the 2022–23 campaign.
In August 2023, Lukaku was sent on loan to Serie A club Roma for the 2023–24 season.

International Career:

Lukaku is Belgium's all-time top goalscorer.
He made his senior international debut in 2010 and has represented Belgium in multiple UEFA European Championships and FIFA World Cups.

Individual Achievements:

Lukaku has won several individual awards, including the Premier League Golden Boot and the Serie A Most Valuable Player award.

Despite some ups and downs, Lukaku has established himself as one of the top strikers in European football, showcasing his goal-scoring prowess and versatility.

Romelu Lukaku, a Belgian professional footballer, has had a prolific international career. Here's a summary of his international journey:

2008–2017: Youth level and early international career;

Lukaku started his international career with the Belgium under-21 team, scoring on his debut against Slovenia.
Made his debut in the senior Belgium squad in a friendly against Croatia on February 24, 2010.
Scored his first two international goals in a friendly against Russia on November 17, 2010.
Secured Belgium's place in the 2014 World Cup finals by scoring two goals against Croatia on October 11, 2013.
Participated in the 2014 World Cup, scoring a hat-trick in a pre-tournament friendly against Luxembourg.
Played a crucial role in Belgium's 2014 World Cup campaign, including a goal in the round of 16 against the United States.
Scored a consolation goal in a 2–1 loss to Portugal in March 2016.
Scored twice in Belgium's 3–0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Euro 2016.

2017–2018: All-time Belgium top scorer;

Equaled the all-time Belgium goalscoring record in November 2017 and became the all-time record goalscorer with 31 international goals in June 2018.
Participated in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, scoring four goals and earning the Bronze Boot as Belgium finished third.
Scored his 50th and 51st international goals in a Euro 2020 qualifier against San Marino on October 10, 2019.

2018–2022: Belgium's Golden Generation;

Scored twice in Belgium's opening group game at the 2018 FIFA World Cup against Panama and scored twice again in the next group game against Tunisia.
Finished the 2018 World Cup with four goals and one assist, receiving the Bronze Boot.
Scored his 67th international goal in his 100th Belgium appearance on September 5, 2021.
Named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but Belgium was eliminated in the group stage.

2023–present;

During UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying, Lukaku scored 14 goals in eight appearances, breaking the record for goals scored in a European Championship qualifying campaign.

Style of play;

Lukaku is a left-footed player known for his physicality, goal-scoring ability, and versatility.
Capable of playing as an out-and-out striker, poacher, or even as a winger.
Praised for his work-rate off the ball but has faced criticism for his movement and first touch.
Named Didier Drogba and Ronaldo as major influences on his playing style.

Personal life;

Born in Antwerp, Belgium, to Congolese parents. His father, Roger Lukaku, played professional football for Zaire.
Has a younger brother named Jordan and a cousin, Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo, who plays professional football.
Featured in a documentary series called "De School Van Lukaku" during his time at the Anderlecht youth team.
Fluent in several languages, including English, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and a Congolese Swahili dialect.
Practising Catholic and a teetotaller.

Media and endorsements;

Lukaku was the first Premier League player to join Jay-Z's management agency Roc Nation Sports.
In 2018, he signed a record sponsorship deal with Puma, the company's largest endorsement deal ever.

Activism;

Spoken out against racism in football, especially during the 2019–20 Serie A season.
Honored George Floyd by kneeling and raising a fist in support of Black Lives Matter during a game in 2020, inspired by Colin Kaepernick's peaceful protest in American football.