[Mhiz Rebecca]

Five things on Romelu Lukaku after Manchester United
agreed a fee with Everton for the transfer of the
Belgian striker on Saturday.
Lukaku not lost in translation
Lukaku is fluent in six languages including Portuguese
and Spanish. “I think education is very important. It
was important for me to have my diplomas at school
so I could also go to England,” he said in 2012.
“Education is very important in Belgium and, if you
didn’t do well at school in the week, you couldn’t play
football at the weekend. You can have an injury and
then you won’t play at the highest level any more. If
you don’t have a diploma, what then?”
Drogba his idol but with qualifications
His idols are Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba — who
did make it big at Chelsea unlike Lukaku — and the
Belgian international’s father Roger who was capped
by the then Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo).
However, Lukaku junior made it crystal clear in 2012
when Chelsea had sent him on loan to Premier League
rivals West Brom that idols did not mean he wished to
be compared to them.
“Am I fed up being compared with Drogba? Yes,” he
said. “In the beginning it was nice to hear that, but
every player wants to make his own name. I want to
make my own name. Drogba was my big idol and so
was my father, who also played in Belgium. I want to
be myself. I want the people to say “this is Roman
Lukaku, not the new Drogba”.
Dad the guiding light
Any in-depth interview with Lukaku reveals that his
father Roger has had the most profound influence on
his life whether it be in education or his football career.
It was tough love but it has paid off big time. “Very
strict,” Lukaku told www.goal.com in 2011 regarding
his upbringing. “My father told me, ‘You must always
have a goal and do everything to reach it’. Ever since I
was six or seven, I wanted to be a professional
footballer.”
The Crying Game
As a teenager Lukaku and his schoolmates at Saint-
Guidon Institute in Brussels were subject of a
documentary ‘De School Van Lukaku’ (Lukaku’s
School).
Part of it filmed them on a trip to London and a visit to
Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Ground which left Lukaku
overwhelmed. “Give me a ball and I will play here for
five hours, What a stadium. If one day in my life I will
cry, it will be the day I play here.
I love Chelsea,” he says. The teacher accompanying
the group urged a certain restraint from his pupil. “You
can dream on later,” he says. Nevertheless undeterred
Lukaku insists he is not fantasising. “This is not
dreaming. I will do it. One day I will play here.”
Spoils Fergie’s United farewell
Alex Ferguson will be content for United they have
secured such a talent and the legendary Scottish
manager has good reason to recall the last time they
crossed paths. It was Fergie’s last match in charge of
United away at West Brom and at 3-1 up at half-time
United looked set to give him a perfect send-off.
However Lukaku being sent on as a second-half
substitute changed it all.
He scored almost immediately but United then went 5-2
up. However, three goals inside the last 10 minutes
forced a remarkable 5-5 draw with Lukaku emerging
with a hat-trick.
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