Romelu Lukaku of Belgium reacts during the group G match between Belgium and Egypt/ XINHUA
Romelu Lukaku is known for his smile, but the past season has tested him like never before. A pre-season injury at Napoli left him sidelined for months before the death of his father made a tough period even harder.
When he scored his only goal of the season for Napoli against Hellas Verona in late February, the tears that followed spoke volumes about the emotions he had been carrying for months. However, that goal provided only temporary relief, as he was unable to string together any consistent playing time and ended up with just 64 minutes all season for Napoli.
It was widely believed that was nowhere near enough to expect him to be at his best heading into a World Cup. Yet Rudi Garcia had no intention of leaving him behind. Lukaku's qualities extend far beyond his technical ability, and the Belgium coach knows that better than anyone. His goal in a friendly against Croatia, scored despite being on the pitch for only a few minutes, offered encouraging signs ahead of the trip to North America.
Two days before Belgium's opening match at this World Cup, Kevin De Bruyne pointed out that Lukaku possesses enough talent to change a game in just a few minutes. And so it proved to be in his nation's opener against Egypt. 25 minutes into the second half, with Belgium trailing 1-0 and struggling, Lukaku entered the fray. Just 20 seconds later, he latched onto a Thomas Meunier delivery from the right and forced defender Mohamed Hany to turn the ball into his own net.
“He is not ready yet to start a game”, Garcia said after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. ”We did not even expect to have him with us at this tournament. Sixty-four minutes over an entire season is hardly ideal preparation for a World Cup. It is fantastic to have him back, but his body still needs to adapt to the demands of competition.
"He could even have ended up with a brace with that header, but I am delighted for him, and the whole squad feels the same way. Lukaku is hugely important to us.”
Several of Lukaku's team-mates were quick to acknowledge the impact of the iconic striker. “We were not at our best in the first half, but we found different ways to hurt them after the break. Even if it went down as an own goal, Romelu's presence was vital. We know how dangerous he can be for our opponent's defence. If we look at the other matches at this World Cup, though, nothing can be taken for granted and no game is easy,” said Kevin De Bruyne post-match, stressing the value of the point earned.
Thibaut Courtois also spoke about Lukaku when discussing the strength of the Belgium squad. “We know how good Romelu is. The coach often tells us that players coming off the bench can make the difference too, not just those who start the match, and that is exactly what he – and the other substitutes – did.”
"Romelu still needs to regain full fitness, which is normal after such a difficult season. But we know he is fundamental to this team,” declared captain Youri Tielemans.
Only Lukaku knows what crossed his mind after helping Belgium level the score, but perhaps he thought of those difficult months and may finally have put them behind him. He can certainly take comfort in demonstrating once again his importance to the Belgian team.
