Romelu Lukaku (Part 1)

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31 Mar 2024

Romelu Lukaku (Part 1)

Romelu Lukaku is a Belgian footballer known for his prowess as a striker. He started his professional career with Anderlecht, where he achieved success in the Belgian Pro League and emerged as one of the top goal scorers in the league. His talent attracted the attention of Chelsea, and he joined the club in 2011 for a significant transfer fee.
However, Lukaku struggled to secure regular playing time at Chelsea and was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and later to Everton. It was during his time at Everton that Lukaku truly flourished, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most prolific goal scorers and breaking club records.

Lukaku made a high-profile move to Manchester United, becoming one of the most expensive transfers in football history at that time. Despite initially finding success at United, Lukaku's relationship with the club soured, leading to his transfer to Inter Milan in 2019.
At Inter Milan, Lukaku enjoyed tremendous success, winning the Serie A title and earning recognition as the league's Most Valuable Player. However, in 2021, he returned to Chelsea in another record-breaking transfer, only to be loaned out to Inter Milan and later to Roma after one season.
Internationally, Lukaku has been a key figure for the Belgium national team, representing his country in multiple UEFA European Championships and FIFA World Cups. He holds the record for the most goals scored in Belgium's history and has been a consistent performer on the international stage.

Romelu Lukaku's football journey began at a young age when he joined his local team Rupel Boom at the age of five. He honed his skills there for four seasons before catching the eye of scouts from Lierse, a renowned Belgian Pro League club known for its strong youth academy.
Lukaku's time at Lierse from 2004 to 2006 proved to be prolific, as he showcased his scoring prowess by netting an impressive 121 goals in just 68 matches. However, Lierse's relegation from the Belgian Pro League prompted a move for Lukaku.
In the 2006 mid-season, Anderlecht, another prominent Belgian club, seized the opportunity to acquire young talent and purchased several youth players from Lierse, including the promising Lukaku. Lukaku continued his development at Anderlecht, spending three more years as a youth player with the club.

During his time at Anderlecht, Lukaku's goal-scoring abilities continued to shine, as he amassed a remarkable tally of 131 goals in 93 matches. His impressive performances at the youth level laid the foundation for his subsequent rise to prominence in professional football.
At the age of 16, on May 13, 2009, Romelu Lukaku marked a significant milestone in his football career by signing his first professional contract with Anderlecht, committing to the club until 2012.
Just eleven days later, Lukaku made his debut in the Belgian First Division on May 24, 2009, during a championship play-off match against Standard Liège. He entered the game as a substitute in the 69th minute, replacing defender Víctor Bernárdez, although Anderlecht suffered a 1-0 defeat.

Lukaku quickly established himself as a key member of Anderlecht's first team during the 2009-2010 season. He scored his first senior goal for the club on August 28, 2009, in a match against Zulte Waregem. His goal came in the 89th minute after he came on as a substitute for Kanu. Reflecting on his memorable moment, Lukaku expressed his joy, saying, "After scoring I dived into a sea of happiness. You think you are flying and can take on the whole world."
His impact on the pitch was profound, as he finished the season as the top goalscorer in the Pro League with an impressive tally of 15 goals, helping Anderlecht secure its 30th Belgian title. Additionally, Lukaku showcased his talent on the European stage, scoring four goals during Anderlecht's journey to the last 16 of the 2009-2010 UEFA Europa League.
The following season, 2010-2011, Lukaku continued to shine, netting 20 goals across all competitions. Despite his stellar performances, Anderlecht fell short in their bid to retain the league title, despite finishing atop the table during the regular season.

After joining Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku made his debut at Stamford Bridge during a 3–1 victory over Norwich City. He entered the match in the 83rd minute, replacing Fernando Torres. Lukaku's first start for Chelsea came in a League Cup match against Fulham, which Chelsea won on penalties.
During his debut season, Lukaku primarily featured for the reserves. However, he earned his first Premier League start on May 13, 2012, against Blackburn Rovers. In this match, he delivered a standout performance, earning the man of the match award and providing an assist for John Terry's opening goal.

Despite his individual success, Lukaku expressed disappointment with his level of involvement at the end of his debut season. Following Chelsea's UEFA Champions League victory in the final on May 19, Lukaku notably refused to hold the trophy, stating that "it wasn't me, but my team that won." This statement reflected his humility and team-first mentality, emphasizing his focus on collective success over individual recognition.
Amid speculation linking Romelu Lukaku to a loan move to Fulham, he instead joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan deal on August 10, 2012. Eight days after joining, Lukaku scored his first league goal for West Brom, coming off the bench in the 77th minute in a 3–0 victory against Liverpool. He made his full debut for West Brom in a match against Reading at The Hawthorns, where he scored the only goal of the game.

In a match against Sunderland on November 24, Lukaku came on as a substitute in the 70th minute and scored a penalty while providing an assist, helping West Brom secure a 4–2 victory. This win marked West Brom's fourth consecutive win in the top flight for the first time since 1980. On January 12, 2013, Lukaku recorded his first multi-goal game in the Premier League, scoring twice to give West Brom a 2–0 lead against Reading, although they ultimately lost 3–2.
Despite reports suggesting Lukaku wanted to extend his loan spell with West Brom, he reiterated his desire to become a legend at Stamford Bridge. On February 11, Lukaku scored his tenth Premier League goal of the season against Liverpool. He later scored his second brace of the campaign in a 2–1 victory against Sunderland on February 23.

In a match against Swansea City on March 9, Lukaku scored the equalizing goal before missing a penalty. However, West Brom still managed to win the game thanks to a Jonathan de Guzmán own goal. One of Lukaku's standout performances came on May 19, when he scored a remarkable second-half perfect hat-trick as West Brom came from three goals down to draw 5–5 against Manchester United. This match, which marked Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,500th and final match in charge of United, became the highest-scoring draw in Premier League history.
Despite being loaned out by Chelsea, Lukaku outscored all of his Chelsea teammates in the Premier League that season, finishing as the sixth-highest goal scorer of the 2012–13 season with 17 goals. He made two Premier League appearances for Chelsea at the start of the 2013–14 season and also featured as a substitute in the 2013 UEFA Super Cup, where he missed the deciding penalty in the shootout against Bayern Munich.