Lukaku Withdraws from Belgium’s World Cup Warm-Ups
Romelu Lukaku, the striker for Napoli and Belgium’s all-time leading goal scorer, has officially opted out of participating in the national team’s upcoming friendlies against the USA and Mexico. This decision comes during the March international break, with Lukaku choosing to focus on his physical fitness instead of joining the squad for these important preparatory matches.
At the age of 32, Lukaku has an impressive record of 89 goals in 124 international appearances. However, his commitment to optimizing his fitness levels has led him to miss out on the friendly matches scheduled this week in Atlanta and Chicago. The Belgian Football Association confirmed this decision in a statement, emphasizing that Romelu’s focus remains on his training routines for personal enhancement.
Throughout this season, Lukaku has faced various injuries, resulting in limited playing time for his club, Napoli. His most recent appearance for Belgium was in a thrilling 4-3 victory against Wales in Brussels during the World Cup qualifiers back in June, where he contributed a goal. Since then, he has not featured in the national team for the subsequent six international fixtures.
Lukaku’s withdrawal highlights ongoing concerns about his fitness status, raising questions about his readiness for the World Cup. The Belgium national team will look to navigate these warm-up matches without their prominent striker as they prepare for the upcoming global tournament.
