Lukaku celebrating his first goal against Tunisia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Romelu Lukaku is a Belgian professional footballer who represents the Belgium national football team as a striker . Aged 17, he made his debut for his country in a 1–0 defeat to Croatia in Brussels in March 2010. His first and second international goals came on his eighth appearance for Belgium, in a 2–0 friendly victory over Russia .
As of 1 July 2024[update] , Lukaku is his country's top scorer with 85 goals in 119 appearances, and ranks as the second-highest European men's international goalscorer , behind only Cristiano Ronaldo . The Belgian Football Association confirmed that Lukaku had broken the national record when he scored his 31st international goal in a match against Japan in November 2017.[ 2] FIFA , however, did not initially recognise the record as three goals had been scored against Luxembourg in a friendly in May 2014 later declared by the organisation as an unofficial friendly due to too many substitutions being made.[ 3] He scored twice against Tunisia in the group stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup , a game after which football journalist Nick Ames praised him for a "laudable act of sportsmanship" as he had indicated to the referee that he had not been fouled in the penalty area, denying himself the chance of a hat-trick .[ 4] The two goals took his overall tally in the 2018 World Cup to four and made him Belgium's highest scorer in a single World Cup tournament,[ 4] and made him the first player since Diego Maradona in the 1986 FIFA World Cup to score back-to-back braces (two goals in a single game).[ 5]
As of July 2024, Lukaku has scored four hat-tricks during his international career, including the treble against Luxembourg, with the others coming in a 9–0 win against Gibraltar in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in August 2017, a 3–0 victory against Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifier in March 2023, and four goals in a 5–0 win over Azerbaijan in November 2023, also a Euro 2024 qualifier. Lukaku has scored more goals in friendlies than in any other format, with 25. He has scored eighteen goals in qualifying for the FIFA World Cup , five in FIFA World Cup finals, 21 in qualifying for the UEFA European Championship , six in the European Championship finals and ten in the UEFA Nations League . Lukaku scored his two most recent goals in a 3–0 friendly win against Luxembourg in June 2024.[ 6]
International goals
As of match played 8 June 2024
Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lukaku goal.
Hat-tricks
No.
Opponent
Goals
Result
Venue
Competition
Date
1
Luxembourg
3 – (1–0', 3–1', 4–1')
5–1
Cristal Arena , Genk , Belgium
Friendly
26 May 2014
2
Gibraltar
3 – (3–0', 5–0', 9–0')
9–0
Stade Maurice Dufrasne , Liège , Belgium
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
31 August 2017
3
Sweden
3 – (1–0', 2–0', 3–0')
3–0
Friends Arena , Solna , Sweden
UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
24 March 2023
4
Azerbaijan
4 – (1–0', 2–0', 3–0', 4–0')
5–0
King Baudouin Stadium , Brussels , Belgium
19 November 2023
Statistics
As of match played 1 July 2024 [ 63]
See also
Notes
References
^ "FIFA doesn't recognise Romelu Lukaku all-time goals record for Belgium" . ESPN. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ "Belgium vs Luxembourg not an official friendly, say FIFA" . Reuters . 4 June 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ a b Ames, Nick (23 June 2018). "Romelu Lukaku tops Golden Boot race with Ronaldo as Belgium cruise" . ESPN . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium's Romelu Lukaku first to score back-to-back World Cup braces since Maradona" . ESPN . 23 June 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018 .
^ a b "Belgium 3–0 Luxembourg" . BBC Sport . 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024 .
^ "Lukaku makes his mark as Belgium sink Russia" . UEFA . Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 4–2 Netherlands" . Sky Sports . Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Croatia 1 Belgium 2: match report" . The Daily Telegraph . 11 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 5–1 Luxembourg" . BBC Sport . 26 May 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Lukaku and Hazard seal Belgium win" . ESPN . 1 June 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ Smith, Ben (2 July 2014). "Belgium 2–1 USA" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 3–1 Iceland" . ESPN . Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Portugal 2–1 Belgium" . BBC Sport . 29 March 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Switzerland 1–2 Belgium: Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne score" . Sky Sports . 28 May 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ Beck, Tom. "Belgium vs. Finland: Score, Reaction from 2016 International Friendly" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 3–2 Norway" . BBC Sport . 5 June 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2018 .
^ Doyle, Paul (20 February 2017). "Lukaku scores twice as Belgium click against disappointing Irish" . The Guardian . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Romelu Lukaku brace leads Belgium past Cyprus" . ESPN . 6 September 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium v Bosnia-Herzegovina" . The Guardian . 7 October 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 8–1 Estonia" . BBC Sport . 13 November 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 1–1 Greece: Everton striker Romelu Lukaku's late strike rescues point" . Sky Sports . 26 March 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ Blanchette, Rob (31 August 2017). "Belgium Defeat Gibraltar in 9–0 2018 World Cup Qualifier Rout" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Lukaku sends Belgium to World Cup with 2–1 win in Greece" . Reuters . 3 September 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium v Cyprus" . The Guardian . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Romelu Lukaku ends goal drought with two goals for Belgium against Mexico" . The Daily Telegraph . 10 November 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 1–0 Japan" . ESPN . Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ Steinberg, Jack (27 March 2018). "Romelu Lukaku at the double in Belgium's win against Saudi Arabia" . The Guardian . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Belgium 3–0 Egypt" . BBC Sport . 6 June 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ "Lukaku Double Lifts Belgium Over Costa Rica in Final World Cup Tuneup" . Sports Illustrated . 11 June 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ Hall, Peter (18 June 2018). "Belgium vs Panama, World Cup 2018: Romelu Lukaku on target as dark horses click into gear in second-half" . The Independent . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ Phillips, Mitch (22 June 2018). "Two each for Hazard and Lukaku as Belgium thumps Tunisia 5–2" . Reuters . Retrieved 23 August 2018 .
^ English, Tom (7 September 2018). "Scotland 0–4 Belgium" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 7 September 2018 .
^ "Iceland 0–3 Belgium" . BBC Sport . 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018 .
^ "Belgium 2–1 Switzerland" . BBC Sport . 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018 .
^ "Belgium 3–0 Kazakhstan" . UEFA . 8 June 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019 .
^ Harris, Daniel (11 June 2019). "Belgium outclass Scotland to make it four from four" . Eurosport . Retrieved 12 June 2019 .
^ Hincks, Michael (9 September 2019). "De Bruyne masterclass as Belgium embarrass Scotland at Hampden Park" . Eurosport . Retrieved 10 September 2019 .
^ "Belgium 9–0 San Marino" . BBC Sport . 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019 .
^ "Russia 1–4 Belgium" . BBC Sport . 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019 .
^ McNulty, Phil (11 October 2020). "England 2–1 Belgium" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 11 October 2020 .
^ "Iceland 1–2 Belgium" . BBC Sport . 14 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020 .
^ "Belgium-Denmark" . UEFA.com . 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020 .
^ "Belgium-Wales" . UEFA.com . 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021 .
^ "Belgium-Wales" . UEFA.com . 27 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021 .
^ "Belgium-Croatia" . UEFA.com . 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021 .
^ "European Championships (Sky Sports)" . Sky Sports . 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021 .
^ "European Championships (Sky Sports)" . Sky Sports . 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021 .
^ "European Championships (Sky Sports)" . Sky Sports . 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021 .
^ "Estonia-Belgium" . UEFA.com . 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021 .
^ "Belgium-Czech Republic" . UEFA.com . 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021 .
^ "Belgium-France" . UEFA.com . 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021 .
^ "France 4-0 Netherlands, Sweden 0-3 Belgium: Euro 2024 qualifying – as it happened" . The Guardian . 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023 .
^ "Germany 2–3 Belgium" . BBC Sport . 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023 .
^ "Belgium-Austria" . UEFA.com . 17 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023 .
^ "Estonia-Belgium" . UEFA.com . 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023 .
^ "Belgium-Estonia" . UEFA.com . 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023 .
^ "Austria-Belgium" . UEFA.com . 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023 .
^ "Belgium v Sweden: Euro 2024 qualifier abandoned after Brussels shooting" . BBC Sport. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023 .
^ "European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden declared abandoned with half-time result confirmed as final" . UEFA.com (Press release). 19 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023 .
^ "Belgium-Sweden" . UEFA.com . 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023 .
^ "Belgium-Azerbaijan" . UEFA.com . 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023 .
^ "Romelu Lukaku" . Royal Belgian Football Association. Retrieved 24 March 2023 .
Venues Records and statistics
Results Team Individual Goals
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International goals
Hat-tricks by competition
Hat-tricks by country
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