Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku recently gave an extensive interview to the “Friends of Sport” podcast, discussing his future with the Belgian national team and the emotional challenges he faced during his time at Chelsea and beyond.
Regarding his current feelings about playing for Belgium, Lukaku said, “I hope to rediscover the passion for playing for Belgium, that the fire burns again for the Red Devils. The next goal is the World Cup in two years, and now it seems very far away.”
Lukaku addressed comparisons to Didier Drogba, stating, “In England, they wanted to put me in a box. They see someone built like me and think: new Drogba. I’m not like that. Didier was more back-to-goal, he could hold the ball regardless of where you played it. That wasn’t my style.”
Reflecting on a difficult period in his career, Lukaku clarified, “I never thought about depression, but I cried every day for weeks. Even on vacation. Thierry Henry called me three times a day. My mother and my children were in Milan, but I had no energy. I needed to be alone for a while.”
On his progress with Napoli, he commented, “Now I’ve chosen for myself, I needed it mentally and physically. I hadn’t done the summer preparation, why should I put myself in that situation again now that we’re making good progress with Napoli and I’m gradually getting back in shape.”
Lukaku also spoke about a potential return to Anderlecht, saying, “The return to Anderlecht? It will happen, and I won’t come back to finish, I still want to reach a good level. When I come back, if we lose twice, I’ll get angry. When I return to Anderlecht, I’ll want to win the championship. This is the mentality I grew up with and what the club should aspire to. Healthy ambitions are never a bad thing.”
The striker shared an interesting anecdote about Antonio Conte’s coaching style: “When I arrived in Italy, I remember Antonio Conte literally telling me to my face: ‘Listen to me, in my playing system you can’t hold the ball too much, you have to give it back immediately, you shouldn’t play like Lautaro.’ From that moment on, Lautaro and I knew we had to pass the ball to each other and that Lautaro’s qualities matched perfectly with mine. Now the same thing happens with Kvaratskhelia. This is what Conte can do: he creates a kind of partnership between players. The same goes for McTominay.”
Lukaku went on to compare Conte to other top managers: “He can do it. The beautiful thing about him is that he’s just right, I think the way he coaches is beautiful. The way he blends the team. Pep Guardiola does it too, also Klopp, Mourinho, Ancelotti. They are the great coaches. If you look at the teams that win, there’s always a coach who has a good tactical plan but above all manages to create a united team, with players who get along well together.”
