Romelu Lukaku facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this article, the family name is Lukaku and the post-surname is Bolingoli.

Quick facts for kids
Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku playing for Chelsea in 2021

Personal information

Date of birth

13 May 1993 (age 32)

Place of birth

Antwerp, Belgium

Height

1.91 m

Playing position

Striker

Club information

Current club

Napoli

Number

Youth career

1999–2003

Rupel Boom

2003–2004

KFC Wintam

2004–2006

Lierse

2006–2009

Anderlecht

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2009–2011

Anderlecht

(33)

2011–2014

Chelsea

(0)

2012–2013

→ West Bromwich Albion (loan)

(17)

2013–2014

→ Everton (loan)

(15)

2014–2017

Everton

110

(53)

2017–2019

Manchester United

(28)

2019–2021

Inter Milan

(47)

2021–2024

Chelsea

(8)

2022–2023

→ Inter Milan (loan)

(10)

2023–2024

→ Roma (loan)

(13)

2024–

Napoli

(8)

National team^‡

2008

Belgium U15

(1)

2011

Belgium U18

(0)

2009

Belgium U21

(1)

2010–

Belgium

120

(85)

Honours


Men's football
Representing Belgium
FIFA World Cup
Third	2018

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:50, 19 January 2025 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:35, 14 November 2024 (UTC)

Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli (born on 13 May 1993) is a Belgian professional footballer. He plays as a striker for the Italian club Napoli and the Belgium national team.

Lukaku started his career with Anderlecht in Belgium. He won a league title there and was the top goalscorer. In 2011, he moved to Chelsea for £10 million. He didn't play much, so he was loaned to West Bromwich Albion and Everton.

In 2014, Everton signed him permanently for a club-record £28 million. He became one of the top scorers in the league. Later, he joined Manchester United for £75 million. After some time, he moved to Inter Milan in 2019 for €80 million. There, he won a Serie A title and was named the league's Most Valuable Player.

In 2021, Lukaku returned to Chelsea for a club-record £97.5 million. This made him one of the most expensive players ever. After one season, he was loaned back to Inter Milan and then to Roma. He then joined another Italian club, Napoli, permanently.

Lukaku is Belgium's all-time top goalscorer. He first played for his country in 2010. He has played in six major tournaments, including three FIFA World Cups. In the 2018 World Cup, he won the Bronze Boot award.

Club Football Journey
International Football Journey
How Romelu Lukaku Plays
- Who Inspired Him
About Romelu's Life
- Media and Sponsors
- Standing Up for What's Right
Career Statistics
- Club
- International
Awards and Achievements
Images for kids
See also

Club Football Journey

Starting Out: Youth Career

Romelu Lukaku began playing football at age five for his local team, Rupel Boom. After four seasons, scouts from Lierse noticed him. Lierse was a top Belgian club with a great youth academy.

He played for Lierse from 2004 to 2006. During this time, he scored an amazing 121 goals in just 68 matches. When Lierse was moved to a lower league, Anderlecht bought 13 young players from them, including Lukaku. He spent three more years as a youth player with Anderlecht, scoring 131 goals in 93 games.

Playing for Anderlecht

Lukaku playing for Anderlecht in 2010

On his 16th birthday in May 2009, Lukaku signed his first professional contract with Anderlecht. Just eleven days later, he made his debut in the Belgian First Division. He came on as a substitute in a match against Standard Liège.

Lukaku became a regular player for Anderlecht in the 2009–10 season. He scored his first senior goal in August 2009. He finished the season as the top goalscorer in the league with 15 goals. Anderlecht won their 30th Belgian title that year. He also scored four goals in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League. In the 2010–11 season, Lukaku scored 20 goals in all competitions.

Time at Chelsea

Lukaku warming up for Chelsea in 2013

In August 2011, Lukaku joined Premier League club Chelsea. He signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee was about €12 million (£10 million).

First Season and Loan Moves

Lukaku made his Chelsea debut in a 3–1 win against Norwich City. He came on as a substitute. He started his first Premier League match in May 2012 against Blackburn Rovers. He played very well and helped with a goal. However, he was not happy with how little he played that season.

Loan to West Bromwich Albion

Lukaku playing for West Bromwich Albion in 2012

In August 2012, Lukaku joined West Bromwich Albion on loan for a season. He scored his first goal for them eight days later against Liverpool. He scored the only goal in his first full start against Reading.

On 19 May, Lukaku scored three goals in a remarkable game against Manchester United. West Brom came back from 3–0 down to draw 5–5. This was the highest-scoring draw in Premier League history. Even though he was on loan, Lukaku scored more goals than any Chelsea player that season. He finished with 17 goals.

Loan to Everton

Lukaku pre-match with Everton in 2014

On the last day of the 2013 summer transfer window, Lukaku joined Everton on loan. He made his debut in September 2013 against West Ham United. He scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory.

He scored twice in his home debut against Newcastle United. He also scored twice in the first Merseyside derby of the season against Liverpool. In January 2014, The Guardian named him one of the ten most promising young players in Europe. Lukaku scored 15 goals in 31 league matches for Everton. He helped them finish fifth in the league.

Becoming a Star at Everton

Lukaku playing for Everton in 2015

In July 2014, Everton signed Lukaku permanently for a club-record £28 million. He scored his first goal as a permanent player against his old club, West Brom. He chose not to celebrate out of respect.

In February 2015, Lukaku scored his first hat-trick for Everton in a 4–1 win in the UEFA Europa League. He scored two more goals in the next leg. With eight goals, he was the joint top scorer in that tournament.

Continued Success

In the 2015–16 Premier League season, Lukaku scored two goals against Southampton. On 21 November, he scored twice against Aston Villa. This made him the fifth player under 23 to score at least 50 Premier League goals.

On 7 December, he scored his 50th goal for Everton in all competitions. On 12 December, Lukaku became the first Everton player to score in six straight Premier League matches. He also scored in eight consecutive matches in all competitions.

In February 2016, Lukaku scored his 20th goal of the season. This made him the first Everton player since Graeme Sharp to score 20 goals in consecutive seasons. He also set a new Premier League goal-scoring record for Everton with 17 league goals.

Record-Breaking Season

On 12 September 2016, Lukaku scored all three goals in a 3–0 win against Sunderland. This was one of the fastest hat-tricks in Premier League history. On 4 February 2017, he scored four goals against Bournemouth in a 6–3 win. This was the 300th hat-trick in the Premier League.

On 25 February 2017, he scored his 60th Premier League goal for Everton. This equaled Duncan Ferguson's club record. On 5 March, he broke that record, becoming Everton's top Premier League goalscorer. He became the first Everton player since Bob Latchford to score 20 or more goals in all competitions for three seasons in a row.

In March 2017, Lukaku turned down a new contract with Everton. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the first time.

Joining Manchester United

Lukaku playing for Manchester United in 2017

Lukaku joined Manchester United on 10 July 2017. He signed a five-year contract. The fee was reported to be £75 million, plus £15 million in bonuses. He became teammates with his close friend Paul Pogba.

First Season and Achievements

Lukaku made his debut against Real Madrid on 8 August. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat. Five days later, he scored twice in his league debut against West Ham. He became the fourth Manchester United player to score two goals on his Premier League debut.

On 12 September, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal. On 27 September, Lukaku scored twice against CSKA Moscow. This brought his total to ten goals in his first nine games. He broke a record set by Bobby Charlton.

In February 2018, he scored the equalizer and assisted the winning goal against his former club Chelsea. On 13 March, he scored his 200th goal for club and country. On 31 March 2018, Lukaku scored his 100th Premier League goal. He was the fifth youngest player to reach this milestone.

Final Season in Manchester

Lukaku started the 2018–19 season with four goals in his first five games. He then had a period without scoring for 12 games. After manager José Mourinho left, Lukaku scored in two games after coming on as a substitute.

He scored two goals in three games against Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Paris Saint-Germain. The goals against PSG helped United reach the Champions League quarter-finals. However, United were later knocked out by Barcelona.

Moving to Inter Milan

Club Record Transfer and Europa League

Lukaku joined Italian club Inter Milan on 8 August 2019. He signed a five-year contract for a club-record fee of €80 million. He later said he left Manchester United because he felt blamed for problems.

He made his debut for Inter on 26 August. He scored his side's third goal in a 4–0 win against Lecce. This meant he had scored in his first league game for five of his six clubs. In Inter's second league game, he scored the winning goal against Cagliari. However, he faced racism from some Cagliari fans.

Lukaku formed a strong partnership with Lautaro Martínez, called "Lu-La" by the media. In November, Lukaku scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for Inter. He also helped with two other goals. Inter later moved to the Europa League.

He started the new year by scoring two goals against Napoli. This was Inter's first league win at Napoli since 1997. In February, Lukaku scored the final goal in a 4–2 win over Milan. This sent Inter to the top of the league.

In July, Lukaku scored two goals against Genoa. He became the first Inter player since 1949–50 to score 15 away goals in a Serie A season. He finished his first Serie A season with 23 goals. Inter finished second in the league.

In August, Lukaku scored in a 2–0 win over Getafe in the Europa League. This was his 30th goal in all competitions, a new personal best. He also scored in his eighth straight Europa League match, equaling a record. He broke this record in the quarter-finals, scoring in his ninth straight match. Inter reached the final, where they lost 3–2 to Sevilla. Lukaku equaled Ronaldo's record of 34 goals in all competitions for Inter.

Winning the Serie A Title

On 21 October 2020, Lukaku scored two goals in a 2–2 draw in the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League. On 1 December, he scored another two goals to win 3–2 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, Inter finished last in their group and were out of European competitions.

On 3 January 2021, Lukaku scored his 50th goal for Inter in only 70 matches. This broke Ronaldo's record of 77 matches. On 26 January, Lukaku had a heated argument with former teammate Zlatan Ibrahimović during a cup match.

On 14 February, he scored two goals and assisted another against Lazio. This brought his Serie A goal total to 16, matching Cristiano Ronaldo. Lukaku's second goal was also the 300th of his professional career. Inter won the 2020–21 Serie A title for the first time since 2009–10. Lukaku finished the season with 24 league goals and 11 assists. He was the top scorer for the title-winning team.

Back to Chelsea

Lukaku playing for Chelsea in 2021

On 12 August 2021, Lukaku returned to Chelsea on a five-year deal. The fee was a club record £97.5 million. This made him the most expensive player ever in terms of total transfer fees.

On 22 August, Lukaku scored in his second debut for Chelsea. He scored in a 2–0 away win over Arsenal. On 12 September, he scored twice at Stamford Bridge against Aston Villa. Two days later, he scored his first European goal for Chelsea.

In late December, Lukaku caused some discussion with an interview. He said he was "not happy" at Chelsea and wanted to return to Inter. Because of this, his coach, Thomas Tuchel, left him out of a match against Liverpool. Lukaku later apologized and said he wanted to move forward. He was fined for his comments. He finished the season with eight goals in 26 league games.

Loan to Inter Milan and Roma

On 29 June 2022, Chelsea announced that Lukaku would return to Inter on a season-long loan. He chose to wear the number 90 shirt. On 13 August, he scored his first goal since returning to Inter in a 2–1 win.

After some injuries, Lukaku started for Inter in a 1–0 win over Napoli. He won his first 2022 Supercoppa Italiana with Inter. In February, he scored the only goal in a Champions League match against Porto. He started to play better in the later months of the season.

On 5 April, he spoke out against racism he faced during a cup game. On 24 May, he won his first Coppa Italia with Inter. On 10 June, he played in the 2023 Champions League final against Manchester City. Inter lost 1–0.

In the summer of 2023, Lukaku was loaned to another Serie A club, Roma. He made his debut on 1 September. On 17 September, he scored his first goal for Roma in a 7–0 win.

Joining Napoli

On 29 August 2024, Lukaku moved permanently to Napoli for a fee of €30 million. In his debut for the club two days later, he scored an equalizer in a 2–1 win over Parma.

International Football Journey

Early International Career

Lukaku was part of the Belgium under-21 team. He scored a goal in his first game against Slovenia. On 24 February 2010, he was called up to the Belgium senior squad for the first time. On 17 November 2010, he scored his first two international goals in a friendly match against Russia.

On 11 October 2013, Lukaku scored two goals as Belgium beat Croatia 2–1. This win secured their spot in the World Cup finals. In May 2014, he was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 World Cup. On 26 May, he scored his first international hat-trick in a friendly game.

In Belgium's first World Cup match, a 2–1 win against Algeria, Lukaku started. In the Round of 16, he came on as a substitute. He assisted Kevin De Bruyne's goal and then scored his first goal of the tournament. Belgium won 2–1 against the United States.

Lukaku playing for Belgium in 2021

On 29 March 2016, Lukaku scored a goal against Portugal, assisted by his brother, Jordan Lukaku. At UEFA Euro 2016, Lukaku scored twice in Belgium's 3–0 win over the Republic of Ireland.

Becoming Belgium's Top Scorer

On 10 November 2017, Lukaku scored twice against Mexico. This equaled Belgium's all-time goalscoring record. Four days later, he became Belgium's all-time record goalscorer with 31 international goals. He was only 24 years old.

Lukaku (right) playing for Belgium in the 2018 FIFA World Cup

On 6 June 2018, Lukaku officially became Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 31 goals. He broke the previous record held by Bernard Voorhoof and Paul Van Himst.

Belgium's "Golden Generation"

On 18 June 2018, Lukaku scored two goals against Panama in their opening game at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the next game, he scored twice again against Tunisia. He became the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in two World Cup matches in a row. He finished the tournament with four goals and one assist. He won the Bronze Boot award, and Belgium finished in third place.

On 10 October 2019, Lukaku scored his 50th and 51st international goals. This happened in a 9–0 win over San Marino in a Euro 2020 qualifier. On 12 June 2021, Lukaku scored twice in Belgium's first game of UEFA Euro 2020. He scored again against Finland. On 2 July, he scored Belgium's only goal in a 2–1 loss to Italy in the quarter-finals. He was later named in the UEFA Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament.

Lukaku played his 100th game for Belgium on 5 September 2021. He scored his 67th goal in that match.

In November 2022, he was part of the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In the final group game, Belgium needed to win to advance. Lukaku missed several chances in a 0–0 draw, and Belgium was eliminated.

Recent International Games

During qualifying for UEFA Euro 2024, Lukaku scored 14 goals in eight games. This broke the record for goals scored in a European Championship qualifying campaign. On 28 May 2024, he was chosen for the Euro 2024 squad. On 17 June, two of his goals were disallowed by VAR in the opening match against Slovakia.

How Romelu Lukaku Plays

Lukaku is a left-footed player. In 2014, he was called one of Europe's most promising young players. He is a big and strong striker who uses his body to get past defenders. Even with his size, he prefers to play as a pure goalscorer, not just a target man. He can also play as a winger.

He is a well-rounded forward who is good in the air. Besides his strength and goal-scoring, he is fast and athletic. He understands the game well and can make good runs to create space for his teammates. While he was once criticized for not helping enough with defense, his coaches now praise his hard work without the ball.

Who Inspired Him

Lukaku has said that the former Brazilian striker Ronaldo was his biggest influence as a child. He said, "He changed how a striker plays. He was fast, he could dribble like a winger, run like a sprinter, he was as strong as an ox." Lukaku believes there is only one Ronaldo.

About Romelu's Life

Lukaku was born in Antwerp, Belgium. His parents are from the Congo. His father, Roger Lukaku, was also a professional footballer. Romelu has a younger brother, Jordan, who also plays football. His cousin, Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo, plays as a winger or defender.

Lukaku was featured in a TV show called De School Van Lukaku (Lukaku's School). The show followed him and his classmates while he was in Anderlecht's youth team. In 2009, the show visited Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's stadium. Lukaku said then, "What a stadium. If one day in my life I will cry, it will be the day I play here. I love Chelsea."

Besides French and Dutch, Lukaku can speak English, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and a Swahili language. He has said his biggest idol was Didier Drogba.

Lukaku is a Catholic and often prays before and after matches. He visited Lourdes in 2014.

Media and Sponsors

Lukaku was the first Premier League player to join Jay-Z's sports management company, Roc Nation Sports. In 2018, he signed a big sponsorship deal with the sportswear company Puma.

Standing Up for What's Right

Lukaku, at the centre, with the Belgian national team in 2021

Lukaku has spoken out against racism he has faced while playing football. This was especially true during his first year in Italy, the 2019–20 Serie A season.

In 2020, Lukaku honored George Floyd by kneeling and raising his fist. He did this to support Black Lives Matter after scoring a goal for Inter. This action was inspired by American football player Colin Kaepernick. Since then, Lukaku and other players in Europe have continued to take a knee to protest against unfair treatment.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Anderlecht	2008–09	Belgian First Division	1	0	0	0	—		0	0	—		1	0
	2009–10	Belgian Pro League	33	15	1	0	—		11	4	—		45	19
	2010–11	Belgian Pro League	37	16	2	0	—		11	4	—		50	20
	2011–12	Belgian Pro League	2	2	—		—		—		—		2	2
	Total		73	33	3	0	—		22	8	—		98	41
Chelsea	2011–12	Premier League	8	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	—		12	0
	2013–14	Premier League	2	0	—		—		—		1	0	3	0
	Total		10	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	15	0
West Bromwich Albion (loan)	2012–13	Premier League	35	17	2	0	1	0	—		—		38	17
Everton (loan)	2013–14	Premier League	31	15	1	1	1	0	—		—		33	16
Everton	2014–15	Premier League	36	10	2	2	1	0	9	8	—		48	20
	2015–16	Premier League	37	18	3	3	6	4	—		—		46	25
	2016–17	Premier League	37	25	1	1	1	0	—		—		39	26
	Total		141	68	7	7	9	4	9	8	—		166	87
Manchester United	2017–18	Premier League	34	16	6	5	2	0	8	5	1	1	51	27
	2018–19	Premier League	32	12	3	1	1	0	9	2	—		45	15
	Total		66	28	9	6	3	0	17	7	1	1	96	42
Inter Milan	2019–20	Serie A	36	23	4	2	—		11	9	—		51	34
	2020–21	Serie A	36	24	3	2	—		5	4	—		44	30
	Total		72	47	7	4	—		16	13	—		95	64
Chelsea	2021–22	Premier League	26	8	6	3	4	0	6	2	2	2	44	15
Inter Milan (loan)	2022–23	Serie A	25	10	4	1	—		8	3	0	0	37	14
Roma (loan)	2023–24	Serie A	32	13	2	1	—		13	7	—		47	21
Napoli	2024–25	Serie A	19	8	2	0	—		—		—		21	8
Career total			500	232	42	21	20	4	91	48	4	3	657	308