History of Romelu Lukaku in Timeline
Romelu Lukaku is a Belgian professional footballer renowned for his prolific goal-scoring ability. He currently plays as a striker for Serie A club Napoli and is a key player for the Belgium national team. Known for his strength, pace, and clinical finishing, Lukaku has played for major clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Everton. He is Belgium's all-time top goalscorer and has consistently performed at a high level throughout his career, establishing himself as one of the top strikers in modern football.
1949: Lukaku equals István Nyers's record
In July 2020, Lukaku equalled István Nyers's record from the 1949–50 season by becoming the first Inter player to score 15 away goals in a Serie A season, and the first to do so in his debut season.
1954: Scoring Record
In December 2015, Lukaku became the first Everton player since Dave Hickson in 1954 to score in eight consecutive matches.
1980: West Brom's Consecutive Wins
In November 2012, West Brom achieved their fourth consecutive win in the top flight for the first time since 1980, with Lukaku contributing a penalty and an assist in a match against Sunderland.
1986: Diego Maradona sets record
In 1986, Diego Maradona scored two goals or more in consecutive World Cup matches, a feat that Lukaku would later equal.
October 1997: Inter Milan's first league win at Stadio San Paolo
In January 2020, Lukaku scored a brace in a 3–1 win against Napoli, giving Inter their first league win at Stadio San Paolo since October 1997. He earned praise for his first goal, which came from an individual effort.
1997: Lukaku equals Ronaldo's record of goals
In August 2020, Lukaku equalled Ronaldo's record in 1997–98 season, by scoring 34 goals in all competitions.
2004: Joins Lierse
In 2004, Romelu Lukaku joined Lierse after being discovered by their scouts while playing for Rupel Boom.
2004: Lukaku equals Alan Shearer's all-time record
On August 5, 2020, Lukaku scored for the eighth consecutive Europa League match, equalling the all-time record set by Alan Shearer in 2004–05.
2006: Moves to Anderlecht
In mid-2006, Romelu Lukaku moved to Anderlecht as part of a group of 13 youth players purchased from Lierse after they were relegated.
2007: FA Cup Quarter-Finals
On February 2016, Lukaku scored his 21st goal of the season in a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth's Dean Court, equalling the number of goals scored in all competitions by Yakubu for Everton in the 2007–08 season. This sent Everton into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
May 2009: Signs Professional Contract with Anderlecht
On May 13, 2009, Romelu Lukaku, aged 16, signed a professional contract with Anderlecht, which was set to last until 2012.
August 2009: Scores First Senior Goal
On August 28, 2009, Romelu Lukaku scored his first senior-level goal for Anderlecht against Zulte Waregem.
2009: Featured in 'De School Van Lukaku'
In 2009, Romelu Lukaku was the subject of a television documentary series called De School Van Lukaku (Lukaku's School). The series followed Lukaku and his classmates during the course of a year. The show followed the school as it made a field trip to London, visiting Stamford Bridge, where Lukaku expressed his desire to play for Chelsea.
2009: Inter wins the Serie A for the first time since 2009-10 season
In 2021, Inter won the Serie A for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Lukaku finished the season with 24 league goals and eleven assists.
February 2010: Lukaku Debuts for Belgium Senior Squad
In February 2010, Romelu Lukaku was named in the Belgium senior squad for the first time for a friendly against Croatia.
November 2010: Lukaku Scores First International Goals
In November 2010, Romelu Lukaku scored his first two international goals in a friendly against Russia.
2010: Top Goalscorer and League Title
During the 2009-10 season, Romelu Lukaku finished as the top goalscorer in the Pro League with 15 goals as Anderlecht won its 30th Belgian title. He also scored four goals during the club's run to the last 16 of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League.
2010: Senior International Debut
In 2010, Romelu Lukaku made his senior international debut for Belgium.
August 2011: Joins Chelsea
In August 2011, Romelu Lukaku joined Premier League club Chelsea on a five-year contract for a fee reported to be around €12 million (£10 million).
2011: Joins Chelsea
In 2011, Romelu Lukaku joined Chelsea for £10 million (€12 million) after playing for Anderlecht.
2011: Inter reaches Europa League's round of 16
On August 5, 2020, Lukaku scored in a 2–0 win over Getafe in the Europa League's round of 16, helping his side reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first time since 2011.
May 2012: First Premier League Start
On May 13, 2012, Romelu Lukaku made his first Premier League start for Chelsea against Blackburn Rovers and provided an assist. However, following Chelsea's Champions League win on May 19, 2012, Lukaku expressed disappointment with his limited involvement and refused to hold the trophy.
August 2012: Loan to West Bromwich Albion
On August 10, 2012, Romelu Lukaku joined West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan. He scored his first league goal on August 18, 2012, against Liverpool.
August 2012: Lukaku Scores Winner Against Netherlands
On August 15, 2012, Romelu Lukaku scored his first goal in almost two years for the national team, netting the winner in a 4–2 friendly victory over rivals the Netherlands.
2012: Loan to West Brom
During the 2012-2013 season, while on loan at West Bromwich Albion, Romelu Lukaku outscored all of his Chelsea teammates in the Premier League.
2012: FIFA Includes Result in FIFA Century Club
In 2012, Romelu Lukaku played a match now recognized by FIFA in their FIFA Century Club.
2012: Contract End Date
In May 2009, Romelu Lukaku signed a professional contract with Anderlecht, which was set to last until 2012.
2012: Premier League Record
On March 1, 2016, Lukaku scored his 17th league goal of the season in a 3-1 victory against Aston Villa, setting a Premier League-era record for Everton and equalling his best goal return in a league season, set during his loan spell at West Brom in the 2012–13 season.
January 2013: Multi-Goal Game in Premier League
On January 12, 2013, Lukaku scored twice for West Brom against Reading, marking his first multi-goal game in the Premier League.
September 2013: Debut and Winning Goal for Everton
In September 2013, Romelu Lukaku debuted for Everton against West Ham United and scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory. He also scored twice on his home debut against Newcastle United.
October 2013: Lukaku Secures World Cup Place for Belgium
In October 2013, Romelu Lukaku scored two goals as Belgium defeated Croatia 2–1, securing a place in the World Cup finals.
2013: Perfect Hat-Trick Against Manchester United
On May 19, 2013, Romelu Lukaku scored a remarkable second-half perfect hat-trick in the season's final home match against Manchester United. The match ended in a 5-5 draw and was Alex Ferguson's 1,500th and last match in charge of United.
January 2014: Named Among Most Promising Young Players
In January 2014, Romelu Lukaku was named by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe.
March 2014: Return From Injury
In March 2014, Romelu Lukaku made his return from an ankle injury against West Ham, scoring the only goal of the match.
May 2014: FIFA Nullifies International Friendly Against Luxembourg Due to Substitution Error
On May 26, 2014, in a nullified international friendly against Luxembourg, Romelu Lukaku netted a hat trick in a 5–1 win. FIFA nullified the match because the former Belgium coach, Marc Wilmots, made seven substitutions during the match instead of the permitted six.
July 2014: Signs Permanent Deal with Everton
In July 2014, Romelu Lukaku signed a five-year contract with Everton for a then-club record fee of £28 million.
2014: Signs with Everton
In 2014, Lukaku signed with Everton for a then club-record £28 million (€32 million) after a loan spell.
2014: Named One of Europe's Most Promising Young Players
In 2014, Romelu Lukaku was named by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe, highlighting his potential and abilities at a young age.
2014: Lukaku Makes Pilgrimage to Lourdes
In 2014, Romelu Lukaku, who is a practicing Catholic, made the pilgrimage to Lourdes.
February 2015: First Hat-Trick for Everton
On 19 February 2015, Lukaku scored his first hat-trick in a 4–1 win for Everton against Young Boys in the UEFA Europa League last 32.
August 2015: Scores Double Against Southampton
On August 15, 2015, Lukaku scored a first-half double in Everton's 3–0 win at Southampton. Before the match, he presented a t-shirt to a home fan whom he had accidentally struck with the ball during shooting practice.
February 2016: 20th Goal of the Season
On February 6, 2016, Lukaku scored his 20th goal of the season in a 3–0 victory at Stoke City, becoming the first Everton player since Graeme Sharp to score at least twenty goals in all competitions in consecutive seasons. The goal also equalled Premier League goal scoring records for Everton.
March 2016: Lukaku Scores Against Portugal
On March 29, 2016, Romelu Lukaku scored a headed goal in a 2–1 loss away to Portugal, assisted by his brother, Jordan Lukaku.
September 2016: Lukaku scores first goals of the season, achieving a hat-trick
In September 2016, Romelu Lukaku scored his first goals of the 2016–17 season, achieving a hat-trick in a 3–0 victory against Sunderland. His goals were scored in 11 minutes and 37 seconds, which made it the 12th-fastest hat-trick in Premier League history.
2016: Colin Kaepernick protests police brutality
In 2016, Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem before every game as a peaceful manner of protest against police brutality towards people of colour, inspiring Lukaku's actions in 2020.
2016: Inter Milan's win against Sassuolo
In October 2016, Lukaku and Lautaro Martínez each scored a brace in the 4–3 away win against Sassuolo, giving Inter their first triumph there since 2016.
2016: Lukaku Names Ronaldo as His Idol
In a 2016 interview with ESPN, Lukaku named Ronaldo as his idol, citing Ronaldo's influence on the game, mentioning that Ronaldo changed the dimension of a striker. He also named Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka as the two strikers who made him want to play for Chelsea.
February 2017: Lukaku scores four goals against Bournemouth
In February 2017, Romelu Lukaku scored four goals against Bournemouth in a 6–3 victory, with the first goal being Everton's fastest ever Premier League goal. It was also the 300th hat-trick scored in the Premier League.
March 2017: Lukaku rejects contract amidst Chelsea rumors
In March 2017, Romelu Lukaku rejected a new five-year contract offer worth £140,000 a week amid rumors of a potential return to Chelsea. He also questioned the club's ambition for big transfers and Champions League qualification, which offended his manager, Ronald Koeman.
April 2017: Named in the PFA Team of the Year
In April 2017, Lukaku was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the first time. He was also included in the shortlists for the PFA Players' Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards.
July 2017: Lukaku joins Manchester United
In July 2017, Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United, signing a five-year contract for a reported initial fee of £75 million plus £15 million in add-ons. He became teammates with Paul Pogba. This signing occurred a day after Wayne Rooney left Manchester United to return to Everton.
November 2017: Lukaku Equals and Breaks Belgium's Goalscoring Record
On November 10, 2017, Romelu Lukaku equalled the all-time Belgium goalscoring record. Four days later, Lukaku became Belgium's all-time record goalscorer with 31 international goals at the age of 24.
2017: Lukaku makes debut for Manchester United
In 2017, Lukaku made his debut against Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, scoring his first competitive goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat. He also scored twice in his Premier League debut against West Ham, and his first UEFA Champions League goal against Basel.
February 2018: Lukaku scores against former club Chelsea
In February 2018, during a 2–1 win against his former club Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku scored the equalizing goal and assisted Jesse Lingard's game-winning goal.
March 2018: Lukaku scores his 200th goal for club and country and 100th Premier League goal
In March 2018, Romelu Lukaku scored his 200th goal for club and country in a 2–1 defeat to Sevilla, which resulted in Manchester United being eliminated from the Champions League. Later in March, Lukaku scored his 100th Premier League goal in a 2–0 win over Swansea, becoming the fifth youngest player to reach that milestone.
June 2018: Lukaku Scores Multiple Goals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
In June 2018, Romelu Lukaku scored twice in a 3–0 win over Panama and twice again in a 5–2 win over Tunisia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He became the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two goals or more in consecutive World Cup matches.
June 2018: Lukaku Officially Becomes Belgium's All-Time Leading Scorer
On June 6, 2018, Romelu Lukaku officially became Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 31 goals, after scoring a goal in a 3–0 win over Egypt. He broke a three-way tie with Bernard Voorhoof and Paul Van Himst.
November 2018: Lukaku experiences a goal drought
In November 2018, Romelu Lukaku experienced a 12-game goal drought lasting from September 19th to November 27th. He scored goals against Southampton and Fulham, which was followed by the sacking of manager José Mourinho.
2018: Lukaku Signs Record Sponsorship Deal with Puma
In 2018, Romelu Lukaku signed a record sponsorship deal with German sportswear company Puma, which was the company's largest endorsement deal ever.
August 2019: Lukaku joins Inter Milan
In August 2019, Romelu Lukaku joined Inter Milan, signing a five-year contract for a reported club record fee of €80 million. He cited being made a scapegoat at Manchester United as a reason for leaving. Lukaku mentioned that he was not protected against rumours about his future at the club.
October 2019: Lukaku Reaches 50 International Goals
On October 10, 2019, Romelu Lukaku scored his 50th and 51st international goals in a 9–0 home win over San Marino in a Euro 2020 qualifier.
2019: Moves to Inter Milan
In 2019, Romelu Lukaku departed Manchester United for Inter Milan in a club-record deal worth €80 million (£68.1 million).
2019: Lukaku Speaks Out Against Racism
In 2019, Romelu Lukaku spoke out against racism he suffered while playing football, particularly during the 2019–20 Serie A season, his first year playing in Italy.
October 2020: Lukaku scores brace against Borussia Mönchengladbach
In October 2020, Romelu Lukaku scored a brace in a 2–2 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the first match of the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League.
2020: Lukaku Kneels in Support of Black Lives Matter
In 2020, Romelu Lukaku honored George Floyd by kneeling and raising a fist in support of Black Lives Matter when he scored in a game with Inter against Sampdoria. This action was inspired by Colin Kaepernick's protests in 2016.
2020: Lukaku equals Cristiano Ronaldo as league's top scorer
In February 2021, Lukaku scored a brace against Lazio, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo as Serie A's top scorer with 16 goals for the season. Lukaku's second goal was also the 300th of his professional career. Inter won the Serie A in the 2020-2021 season. Lukaku finished the season with 24 league goals and eleven assists.
January 2021: Lukaku breaks record for fastest to 50 goals and confrontation with Ibrahimović
In January 2021, Romelu Lukaku scored his 50th goal in 70 matches, breaking Ronaldo's record. Also in January 2021, Lukaku was involved in a confrontation with Zlatan Ibrahimović during a Coppa Italia match. Insults were exchanged, and both players were booked.
August 2021: Lukaku returns to Chelsea
In August 2021, Romelu Lukaku returned to Chelsea on a five-year deal for a reported club-record fee of £97.5 million, becoming the most expensive player of all time with cumulative transfer fees of almost £285 million.
September 2021: Lukaku Makes 100th Appearance for Belgium
On September 5, 2021, Romelu Lukaku made his 100th appearance for Belgium against the Czech Republic, scoring his 67th goal in the process.
2021: Returns to Chelsea
In 2021, Lukaku returned to Chelsea in a club-record transfer worth £97.5 million (€115 million), making him one of the most expensive players at the time.
2021: Lukaku scores on second debut for Chelsea
In August 2021, Lukaku scored on his second debut for Chelsea in a 2–0 win against Arsenal. In September 2021, Lukaku scored twice against Aston Villa and his first European goal for Chelsea against Zenit. In October 2021, Lukaku was included in the shortlist for the 2021 Ballon d'Or, eventually finishing twelfth.
June 2022: Lukaku Returns to Inter on Loan
In June 2022, Chelsea announced that Romelu Lukaku would return to Inter Milan on a season-long loan for the 2022–23 campaign. Inter agreed to pay a loan fee of approximately €8 million (£6.9 million), and Lukaku took a pay cut. He chose to wear the number 90 shirt, as number 9 was already taken.
2022: Nickname "Lakaka" Gained Popularity
After his performances in the 2022 World Cup, Lukaku's nickname, "Lakaka", gained popularity among fans. This nickname is often used sardonically to mock Lukaku's poor performances.
2022: Lukaku Wins Supercoppa Italiana
In 2022, Romelu Lukaku won the Supercoppa Italiana with Inter Milan following a 3–0 win over Milan, despite being on the bench.
August 2023: Lukaku Joins Roma on Loan
In August 2023, Romelu Lukaku joined Roma on a season-long loan deal for a reported fee in the region of £8 million (€9.3 million). He also agreed to a new contract at Chelsea, including a wage cut and a release clause of £37 million.
2023: FIFA Recognizes Three Matches in FIFA Century Club
In 2023, FIFA recognizes the three matches from 2012, 2014 and 2017 in their FIFA Century Club.
2023: Lukaku plays in Champions League final and wins Coppa Italia
In 2023, Lukaku faced criticism for his performance in the Champions League final against Manchester City, where his team suffered a 1-0 defeat. However, in May 2023, he won the Coppa Italia, as Inter defeated Fiorentina 2–1 in the final.
2023: Nickname "Lakaka" Used During Champions League Final
In 2023, during the Champions League Final, Lukaku's nickname, "Lakaka", was often used sardonically to mock Lukaku's poor performances.
May 2024: Lukaku Selected for Euro 2024
On May 28, 2024, Romelu Lukaku was selected in the 25-man squad for the Euro 2024.
August 2024: Lukaku Permanently Transfers to Napoli
On August 29, 2024, Romelu Lukaku permanently transferred to Serie A club Napoli for a fee reportedly worth €30 million. On his debut for the club two days later, he scored an equaliser in stoppage time of an eventual 2–1 win over Parma.
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