ronaldo football kit Lukaku is no exception. He was roasted by captain Hazard after the Panama game for failing to put enough into the build-up. He will be under no illusions as to his centrality to the cause. Lukaku is the one dictating the press to his team-mates and he is responsible for the lay-offs and the runs.
It is abundantly clear that he is productive under Martinez – the manager who first signed him for Everton in 2013. He has scored 23 times in 20 caps under this coach – with 16 in his last 11 – and has clearly benefitted from the advice imparted to him by Thierry Henry, also on the Belgium coaching staff.
Before that, he wasn’t half as productive.
And now Belgium have the World Cup’s top scorer; a world-class striker fulfilling expectations. Martinez insists that no Belgium player is getting carried away with the prospect of individual accolades and if Lukaku indeed finishes with the Golden Boot then it will be as an offshoot of all-round squad excellence.
Tougher tests are to come and Lukaku will have to prove that he’s not just capable of scoring in twos and threes against the lesser lights. But Belgium’s eight goals in two games personalised football shirts cheap should do plenty for their self-belief.