Belgium's all-time leading scorer and one of the most physically powerful strikers of his generation — Romelu Lukaku's combination of pace, strength and finishing made him a constant threat at the highest level. Scored over 100 goals in the Premier League across spells at Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United and then Inter Milan, where he won the Serie A title under Antonio Conte. His return to Inter on loan after a disastrous second Chelsea spell showed remarkable resilience and his Serie A form remained world-class.
Romelu Menama Lukaku Bolingoli was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1993. He grew up in poverty — his family's electricity was cut off during his childhood, a story he has told repeatedly in public. Chelsea signed him at 18 but he was loaned immediately. Everton gave him his first consistent run of games. Manchester United paid £75 million for him in 2017. Inter Milan paid £74 million in 2019 and he won the Serie A title in 2020-21 under Antonio Conte — ending Inter's eleven-year league drought. Chelsea paid £97.5 million to re-sign him in 2021 — a season of profound underperformance prompted a loan back to Inter. His goals-per-game ratio at Inter (64 goals in 95 games) was among the finest in Europe for a centre-forward. He won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 despite limited appearances. He became Belgium's all-time leading scorer with 78 goals. His combination of physical power — his ability to outmuscle defenders and hold the ball — with pace and finishing made him one of the most feared frontmen of his era despite the inconsistency of his career arc.
Champions League (2021)
Career Honours
- Champions League (2021)
- Premier League (2021)
- Serie A (2021)
- Europa League 2x