Lukaku: Son of Congolese emigrant struggling for acceptance

The story Romelu Lukaku makes for a compelling read, especially for most African migrants struggling to be accepted in Europe yet he is writing his own history of success.

Lukaku is the son of Roger Lukaku and mother Adolphine. Roger is a former national team captain of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He belongs to the generation of Mike Origi Okoth, the father of Divock Origi who also settled in Belgian and played at the same club KV Oostende as Roger in the 1990’s.

In less than eight years, the 25-year-old Manchester United striker has risen to become Belgium’s all-time goal scorer having netted 38 goals in 70 appearances.

Two of the goals came against Panama on Monday at the Fifa 2018 World Cup, yet even with the return, Lukaku feels the Belgian fans have not taken him to their hearts.

Ahead of the clash against Panama, the bulky striker opened up on his difficult upbringing and the struggle to be accepted by the Belgian fans and media once he broke into the Anderlecht team and later the national team.

“When things were going well, I was reading newspaper articles and they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker,” Lukaku writes in Players’ Tribune, assertions he repeated here ahead of their clash with Panama.

“When things weren’t going well, they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker of Congolese descent.”

He added: “I don’t know why some people in my own country want to see me fail. I really don’t. When I went to Chelsea and I wasn’t playing, I heard them laughing at me. When I got loaned out to West Brom, I heard them laughing at me.”

Lukaku is just one of the many players of African origin that have made it to the Belgian football team.

His brother Jordan Lukaku has also been called up to the Red Devils although he is not in the squad here in Russia.

Romelu is now Manchester United’s lead striker and the struggles of yester-years are now behind him with only his regret being his departed grandfather who he feels should have been around to see the good quality life they are leading –thanks to football.

“I just wish he was around to see the life we have now. I wish I could have one more phone call with him, and I could let him know. See? I told you. Your daughter is OK. No more rats in the apartment. No more sleeping on the floor. No more stress. We’re good now. We’re good. They don’t have to check the ID any more. They know our name.”