© EuroFootball.com
Romelu Lukaku - one of the most promising football players in the Old Continent. The solidly built seventeen-year-old striker from Brussels' "Anderlecht," known for his exceptional physical strength, is already attracting the attention of the biggest European clubs.
Here are the impressions of British journalist Wayne Veysey for "Goal.com" website from his meeting with the football player, during which they talked about football, the future, studies, and, of course, girls.
The morning training session of Brussels' "Anderlecht" team. The sun shines brightly, the sky is clear, not a single cloud in sight. This is not Belgium, but Spain, where the clubs of the Old Continent go during the winter break to maintain their fitness.
Six players practice shooting with their left foot - the ball moves rapidly around the penalty area, and the players have the task of "conquering" the main team goalkeeper.
[imgk]http://www.ipix.lt/images/40731277.jpg[/img] The task is not an easy one. Many send the ball into the net only once out of five tries. But the eyes involuntarily turn to the African, for whom this is an easy stroll. One, two, three, four times the ball hits the net. The fifth time it hits the post and ends up in the hands of the goalkeeper, who is breathing easier. Both men smile.
This is the first time I see Lukaku up close. He is Belgian, but his roots are in Congo. His build is like a tank, and knowing that he won't turn 18 until May sends shivers down the spine. His main foot is left, but it doesn't diminish the spectacle of the training session I just witnessed.
After the training, Lukaku, having showered and changed, greets with a radiant smile and a strong handshake: "Nice to meet you." Then he comfortably settles on the sofa and in flawless English gives the first interview to the British journalist.
"My physical abilities are a gift from God. I never lift weights. When I was 14 years old, I used to go to the gym once a week but I didn't understand what I was doing. Now I just do stabilization exercises for my back, abs, and legs. Nothing more," he says.
His height is 191 cm. Weight - 97 kilograms. Don't forget - he was born in 1993.
It's no wonder that Lukaku, who has scored 10 goals in 20 matches this season, is compared to the African football gem Didier Drogba. "The Ivory Coast national team leader is a true god to Anderlecht's striker.
"I spoke to Didier right after my 17th birthday. I was with Vincent Kompany at the Belgian national team camp and Drogba called him. After they spoke, Vincent handed me the phone. It was a very emotional moment," remembers one of the most promising football players of the Old Continent.
"I asked him a thousand questions. 'How did you score this or that goal? What do you do in training? What does it feel like to play at Stamford Bridge?' We talked for about half an hour. Such opportunities don't come often, so you have to make use of them."
"Chelsea" is his favorite team. But realizing the reality, here, right next to all the scouts in the world watching Lukaku, he adds that he would gladly wear the shirt of any of England's "big five" teams. Furthermore, he considers this country a more realistic place to continue his career than Spain due to his playing style.
"Watching the English championship, I think I could play there," he says. "I'm very agile, very strong, and I work hard. If I had the opportunity to train with higher level players, I would improve even faster. I want to improve my skills. It has to be done every day." And right away, he adds that he wants to improve his right foot game, heading, and ball control skills.
No one doubts that Lukaku will leave Anderlecht. Probably next summer. The Belgians want to keep the player they invited to join their ranks at the age of 12. However, the striker has outgrown the Brussels team's shirt, and the influx of huge money for the club's stadium renovation and squad refreshment will be welcome.
"If there is a team willing to pay 30 million euros, you'd be a fool not to sell. Our annual budget is 35 million," said Anderlecht's general manager, Herman Van Holsbeeck. - At the end of the season, it will be hard to keep him."
Lukaku's future career path will likely be greatly influenced by his father Roger. The former Congo national team striker has been fighting for years to keep his son in Belgium until he finishes his studies.
"My father is strict. He always said that you need to have a goal and do everything to achieve it. So, since I was six or seven years old, I wanted to become a professional football player," tells the super talent.
Lukaku strives to learn and travels to school three or four times a week, combining exams with playing for the biggest club in Belgium. Books are always by his side.
"I want to prove to people that I am intellectual, not just good at playing football," Lukaku says. "In football, anything can happen. You can get injured and retire from top-level football very early. If in that case you haven't finished your studies, what will you do?"
The footballer speaks fluently in four languages - Congolese, French, Dutch, and English. Currently, he is studying Spanish.
[imgck]http://www.ipix.lt/images/41555460.jpg[comment]"Anderlecht" photo[/comment]
"He is a very mature person," says Van Holsbeeckas. "My wife is a teacher and works at the same school where Romelu studies. There was even a 15-week reality show filmed there called 'Romelu's School'. She tells me that his environment changes, people change, but Lukaku always remains the same.
"Sometimes 17-year-old footballers have more than one tattoo, five girlfriends. There are also many girls around Romelu, but he first wants to play at the highest level and aims for that goal."
And he continued: "Life changes a lot when you are 16-17 years old. You meet new friends, and it distracts you. The club takes great care to keep the girls at a distance, there are people who monitor how he is doing in school. Romelu is an example to others that you can combine professional football and school. Of course, it requires a lot of work, but you have to invest in yourself."
Does Lukaku have to run away from pursuing girls? "Yes," the player jokes. "But I want my personal life to stay in the background. Right now, I don't have a girlfriend, and when I mentioned it once, I soon saw a huge headline in the newspaper with an interview of my ex-girlfriend. I don't want to be known for that. I'm not like that."
The whole country seems to be crazy about the 25-year-old sturdy-looking man's appearance who is actually just a 17-year-old Lukaku.
"Even those who don't like football adore him. Romelu embodies all the positive human aspects. You want both yourself and your children to be like him," said Anderlecht's communications manager David Steegen.
"He is the biggest sports star in Belgium. There is tennis player Kim Clijsters and a few cyclists, but when he meets the country's prime minister, he seems like a little boy. The toughest journalist in Belgium is a woman who mainly writes about serious political issues and is always critical. But when she meets Romelu, she brings her daughter, asks for autographs and joint photos."
Steegen adds that he will be extremely sad when Romelu leaves. But that will happen very soon.
"Lukaku is the best young player in Europe, and a line of clubs ranks following him," said Van Holsbeeckas. "To play at the highest level from the age of 16 is something special."
The player himself doesn't get carried away: "I can improve in all areas. I'm only seventeen, still a kid."
It must be admitted - both physically and mentally, Lukaku surpasses many. The future looks bright for such individuals.
Scenes from Lukaku's game:
