World Cup 2022: Romelu Lukaku, the roaring hundredth

He has been martyring the defenses for eleven years under the jersey of the Red Devils.

Romelu Lukaku intends to continue Sunday against the Czech Republic, his 100th selection with Belgium, in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. The Chelsea striker, at only 28 years old, will join Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens in the very small circle of centenarians.

With 66 goals in 99 caps (including a double Thursday in Estonia), he is already the top scorer in the history of the Belgian team.

A story that began in March 2010 when the Dutchman Dick Advocaat, the coach at the time, offered his first minutes to the young Lukaku then aged 16 years and 294 days, against Croatia.

To discover

• The 2022 World Cup qualifying calendar

• Qualifying rankings for the 2022 World Cup

What today looks like a “success story” did not start out on the fly.

Seven first matches without scoring, a brace against Russia, and a new period of six games without finding the net.

And above all a rain of criticism.

The detractors of "Big Rom", which is then only a rough diamond, reproach him for his technical shortcomings, his deficient head game, and summarize him to a monster of power of the height of his meter 90. But the times have exchange.

Lukaku is a hard worker who owes his current success to enormous determination despite a sometimes chaotic club career.

Belgian champion (and top scorer of the competition) with Anderlecht in 2011, the Antwerp native sees himself too quickly too good-looking by joining Chelsea at 18, the club that has always made him dream and where his idol Didier Drogba evolves. There will only be one season without scoring a single goal. His successful stint at Everton (87 goals in 166 matches between 2013 and 2017) will earn him a dream transfer to Manchester United, whose style of play will not suit him, however. It will take a passage through Calcio and Inter Milan to make him the superstar he is now, thanks to the work of trainer Antonio Conte who will make him a complete player, with accomplished technique, and impressive back to goal. Enough to come back through the front door this season at Chelsea (a transfer to 115 millioneuros) with the status of top scorer and best player in Italy from where he started with a league title won with the Inters.

SEE ALSO

- Romelu Lukaku's records at Inter Milan

Cristiano Ronaldo's record one day in danger?

Sunday, Lukaku will try to score his 67th goal with the Red Devils and offer a success to Belgium which would then be almost guaranteed to play the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He could then further inflate his capital goals in international competitions. He is currently at 20:10 at the World Cup, 10 at the Euro. In his last 43 appearances in the red jersey, "Big Rom" has scored 44 goals. At this rate, the 100 roses milestone should be reached within three or four years. The Belgian is never more than 28 years old. It is therefore not illusory to see him launch in pursuit of the record of Cristiano Ronaldo (36) scorer 111 times in the Portuguese selection. Even if the road is still long ...