Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli is a Belgian professional soccer player. He is a striker, which means he plays an offensive position on the field. He currently plays for the Italian club Napoli in the Serie A league, which is the top professional soccer league in Italy. He also plays on the Belgian national team, representing his home country in international competitions such as the World Cup.
1949: Matching Nyers' Scoring Record
In 1949, Lukaku became the first Inter player since István Nyers in the 1949–50 season to score 15 away goals in a Serie A season.
1954
Dave Hickson set a scoring streak record.
1980: West Brom's Winning Streak
West Brom achieved their first four-game winning streak since 1980 after defeating Sunderland.
1986: Diego Maradona's Consecutive World Cup Braces
In 1986, Diego Maradona achieved the feat of scoring two or more goals in consecutive World Cup matches, a feat that Romelu Lukaku emulated in 2018.
May 1993: Birth of Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku was born in May 1993 in Antwerp, Belgium.
October 1997: Victory Against Napoli and League-Leading Performance
In October 1997, Lukaku helped Inter achieve their first league win at Stadio San Paolo since October 1997 by scoring a brace against Napoli. He also scored against Milan, sending Inter to the top of the table.
1997: Europa League Final and Matching Ronaldo's Record
In 1997, Lukaku scored and scored an own goal in the Europa League final against Sevilla, equalling Ronaldo's record of 34 goals in a season.
2004: Equalling Shearer's Europa League Record
In 2004, Lukaku equaled Alan Shearer's record by scoring in eight consecutive Europa League matches.
2004: Lukaku Joins Lierse
Lukaku began playing for Lierse in 2004 after being discovered by their scouts.
2006: Lukaku Moves to Anderlecht Youth Academy
Following Lierse's relegation, Lukaku moved to Anderlecht's youth academy in 2006.
2007
Yakubu set goal scoring record.
May 2009: Lukaku's Professional Debut
Lukaku signed a professional contract with Anderlecht and made his Belgian First Division debut in May 2009.
August 2009: Lukaku's First Senior Goal
Lukaku scored his first senior goal for Anderlecht against Zulte Waregem in August 2009.
2009: Lukaku's School and Chelsea Dream
In 2009, a television documentary series called "De School Van Lukaku" (Lukaku's School) aired, showcasing Lukaku's life as a teenager at Saint-Guidon Institute in Brussels. During a field trip to Stamford Bridge, he expressed his love for Chelsea and the desire to play there one day. Besides his native languages, he's known for his linguistic abilities. He identifies Didier Drogba as his biggest idol.
2010: Top Goalscorer and League Title
In 2010, Lukaku became the top goalscorer in the Belgian Pro League and won the league title with Anderlecht.
2010: Lukaku's International Debut
Romelu Lukaku made his senior international debut for Belgium in 2010.
August 2011: Lukaku Joins Chelsea
Lukaku signed a five-year contract with Chelsea in August 2011.
2011: Reaching Europa League Quarter-finals
In 2011, Lukaku helped Inter reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first time since 2011 after scoring against Getafe in the Europa League.
2011: Lukaku Joins Chelsea
In 2011, Lukaku transferred to Chelsea from Anderlecht for a fee of £10 million (€12 million).
May 2012: Lukaku's First Start and Disappointment
Lukaku made his first Premier League start for Chelsea in May 2012 but expressed disappointment with his limited playing time.
August 2012: Lukaku's Loan Move to West Brom
Lukaku joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan in August 2012.
2012: Anderlecht's Failed Title Defense
Despite finishing top during the regular season, Anderlecht failed to retain their league title.
2012
Lukaku scored best goals at West Brom.
2012: Early International Goals
Romelu Lukaku scored international goals in 2012 that contributed to his overall record, and were eventually recognized by FIFA in 2023.
2012: Lukaku's Loan Spell at West Brom
Throughout 2012, Lukaku continued his productive loan spell at West Brom, scoring key goals and contributing to the team's successes.
January 2013: Lukaku's First Multi-Goal Game
In January 2013, Lukaku scored his first multi-goal game in the Premier League against Reading.
September 2013: Lukaku's Everton Loan and Debut
In September 2013, Romelu Lukaku joined Everton on loan and quickly made an impact. He scored the winning goal on his debut against West Ham, despite a collision during the play. He followed this with two goals in his home debut against Newcastle and continued his scoring streak against Manchester City and Aston Villa. He also scored twice in a thrilling Merseyside derby draw against Liverpool.
2013: Lukaku's Hat-trick and Missed Penalty
In 2013, Lukaku scored a hat-trick against Manchester United and also had a penalty saved against Swansea City during his loan spell at West Brom. He finished as the sixth-highest goal scorer of the Premier League with 17 goals.
January 2014: Lukaku Named Promising Young Player, Suffers Injury
In January 2014, Lukaku was recognized as one of Europe's top young talents by The Guardian. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle ligament injury later that month during the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
March 2014: Lukaku Returns from Injury, Continues Scoring
Lukaku returned from his injury in March 2014, scoring the winning goal against West Ham. He continued his strong form, scoring a goal and assisting another in a victory against Arsenal, and concluding his loan spell with a goal against Hull City. His 15 league goals helped Everton finish fifth.
May 2014: Hat Trick Against Luxembourg (Initially Nullified)
In May 2014, Romelu Lukaku scored a hat trick against Luxembourg in a friendly match. However, this match was initially not fully recognized by FIFA due to an issue with substitutions.
July 2014: Lukaku Makes Everton Move Permanent
In July 2014, Lukaku made his transfer to Everton permanent, signing a five-year contract for a club-record fee.
2014: Recognition as a Promising Young Player
In 2014, Romelu Lukaku was recognized by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe. His playing style is characterized by physicality, speed, and tactical versatility, allowing him to play as a striker, poacher, or winger. Despite his size and strength, he is not typically a target man but prefers a more dynamic role involving movement off the ball and creating space for teammates.
2014: Pilgrimage to Lourdes
In 2014, Romelu Lukaku, a practicing Catholic, made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, demonstrating his religious devotion. He is also known to be a teetotaler.
2014: Lukaku Transfers to Everton
Lukaku made a permanent transfer to Everton in 2014 for a club-record fee of £28 million (€32 million).
February 2015: Lukaku's First Hat-trick and Europa League Success
Lukaku scored his first hat-trick for Everton in a Europa League match against Young Boys in February 2015. He scored two more goals in the second leg, finishing as the tournament's joint-top scorer.
August 2015: Lukaku Starts Season Strong
Lukaku started the 2015-16 Premier League season impressively, scoring braces against Southampton and Barnsley. He also scored against West Brom and Liverpool.
February 2016: Lukaku's Scoring Consistency
In February 2016, Lukaku reached 20 goals for the season, becoming the first Everton player since Graeme Sharp to achieve this feat in consecutive seasons. He then equalled Yakubu's record for goals in all competitions in a single season.
September 2016: Lukaku's Quick Hat-trick
Lukaku started the 2016-17 season with a hat-trick against Sunderland, the 12th fastest in Premier League history.
2016: Colin Kaepernick's Protest
In 2016, Colin Kaepernick initiated a protest against police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem before American football games. This action inspired similar demonstrations by athletes like Lukaku in other sports.
2016: Lukaku's Football Idols
In a 2016 ESPN interview, Lukaku named Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka as inspirations for wanting to play at Chelsea, while citing Brazilian Ronaldo as his main idol, praising his impact on football and describing him as a player who 'changed the dimension of a striker'.
2016: Forming a Partnership and Achieving First Triumph
In 2016, Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez formed a successful attacking partnership at Inter, leading to a win against Sassuolo, Inter's first triumph there since 2016.
February 2017: Lukaku's Four-Goal Haul and Record-Breaking Goals
In February 2017, Lukaku scored four goals against Bournemouth, including Everton's fastest-ever Premier League goal. He also equaled and then surpassed Duncan Ferguson's club record for Premier League goals.
March 2017: Lukaku Rejects Contract, Questions Club Ambition
Lukaku rejected a lucrative contract offer from Everton in March 2017, publicly questioning the club's ambition, causing friction with manager Ronald Koeman.
April 2017: Lukaku's Scoring Streak and PFA Recognition
Lukaku's continued scoring exploits saw him match Bob Latchford's 25-goal record in April 2017. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year and shortlisted for individual awards.
July 2017: Lukaku Joins Manchester United
In July 2017, Lukaku joined Manchester United in a high-profile transfer, reuniting with his friend Paul Pogba. This move coincided with Wayne Rooney's departure from United back to Everton.
2017: Lukaku's Debut Season at Manchester United
In 2017, Romelu Lukaku debuted for Manchester United, scoring against Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup and twice against West Ham in his Premier League debut. He also scored against Basel in the Champions League and Everton in the Premier League.
February 2018: Key Contributions Against Chelsea
In February 2018, Lukaku scored and assisted against Chelsea, contributing to a 2-1 win for Manchester United.
March 2018: Goalscoring Milestones and Champions League Exit
In March 2018, Lukaku scored his 200th career goal and his 100th Premier League goal. However, Manchester United was eliminated from the Champions League by Sevilla.
June 2018: 2018 FIFA World Cup Performance
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup in June, Romelu Lukaku scored braces in consecutive matches against Panama and Tunisia, a feat not seen since Diego Maradona in 1986. He finished the tournament with four goals and one assist, earning the Bronze Boot as Belgium achieved third place.
June 2018: Official Recognition as Belgium's All-Time Leading Scorer
In June 2018, Romelu Lukaku officially became Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 31 goals after a match against Egypt, surpassing previous record holders Bernard Voorhoof and Paul Van Himst.
November 2018: Inconsistent Performance and Managerial Change
In November 2018, Lukaku experienced a goal drought before scoring against Southampton and Fulham. After a managerial change, his playing time decreased under Solskjær despite scoring in substitute appearances.
2018: Roc Nation Sports and Puma Deal
In 2018, Lukaku became the first Premier League player to join Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports agency. He also signed a record sponsorship deal with Puma, the company's largest endorsement deal ever.
August 2019: Transfer to Inter Milan and Debut Goal
In August 2019, Lukaku joined Inter Milan and scored in his Serie A debut against Lecce. He also scored the winning goal against Cagliari but faced racial abuse from fans.
October 2019: 50th and 51st International Goals
In October 2019, Lukaku reached a milestone by scoring his 50th and 51st international goals during a Euro 2020 qualifier against San Marino.
2019: Lukaku's Move to Inter Milan
In 2019, Lukaku joined Inter Milan for a club-record fee of €80 million (£68.1 million) after leaving Manchester United.
October 2020: Champions League Goals and Elimination
In October 2020, Lukaku scored twice against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League but Inter was later eliminated from the competition.
2020: Honoring George Floyd
In 2020, Lukaku showed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement by taking a knee and raising a fist after scoring a goal, echoing Colin Kaepernick's protests against racial injustice.
June 2021: UEFA Euro 2020 Performance
During UEFA Euro 2020 in June 2021, Romelu Lukaku scored twice against Russia and once against Finland in the group stage. He also scored Belgium's only goal in their quarter-final loss to Italy. Lukaku was the sole Belgian player named to the Team of the Tournament.
September 2021: 100th Belgium Appearance and 67th Goal
In September 2021, Romelu Lukaku reached a significant milestone by making his 100th appearance for the Belgium national team. In the same match against the Czech Republic, he scored his 67th goal for his country.
2021: Lukaku's Return to Chelsea and Subsequent Loans
Lukaku returned to Chelsea in 2021 for a club-record fee of £97.5 million (€115 million). After one season, he was loaned back to Inter Milan and later to Roma.
November 2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup Participation
Romelu Lukaku was selected for Belgium's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar in November. Despite having several opportunities to score in the final group stage match against Croatia, he failed to convert, resulting in Belgium's elimination from the tournament.
2022: "Lakaka" Nickname Gains Popularity
During the 2022 World Cup, the nickname "Lakaka", used sardonically by some fans to mock his performances, started to gain wider recognition.
2022: Lukaku at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Lukaku participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the Belgian national team.
2023: "Lakaka" Nickname After Champions League Final
Following the 2023 Champions League Final, the nickname "Lakaka" continued to circulate amongst fans, often used in the context of his performance in the match.
May 2024: UEFA Euro 2024 Squad Selection
In May 2024, Romelu Lukaku was chosen for Belgium's 25-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 competition. He set a record for most goals scored in a European Championship qualifying campaign, with 14 goals in 8 appearances. In their opening match against Slovakia, he had two goals disallowed by VAR, resulting in a 1-0 defeat.
2024: Lukaku at the UEFA Euro 2024
Lukaku took part in the UEFA Euro 2024 with the Belgium national team.