Napoli, Lukaku’s revival: “Written off, now living my dream in Naples” | OneFootball

Romelu Lukaku tells his story exclusively to La Gazzetta dello Sport, between the championship title, personal redemption, and new challenges: “With Conte, a winning mentality. Napoli is my revenge”

Napoli, Lukaku, the rebirth in Napoli: “They thought I was finished. Now I'm where I dreamed of being”

CASTEL DI SANGRO – Romelu Lukaku is not just any player. He is a man who has gone through highs and lows, who has known glory and the weight of judgment. But today, with the championship title sewn on the Napoli jersey, he can finally speak with the serene tone of someone who has proven everything on the field. It's not a return: it's a new beginning. More mature, more aware, more determined.

“They thought I was finished, but I knew my worth” «Many had doubts about me», Lukaku says, «but I knew we would do something special. Napoli has represented a rebirth. The path, the struggle until the last second, the constant pressure… Everything has made this victory even more significant».

Lukaku has left behind the disappointments – above all, the lost Champions League final with Inter – transforming them into energy. «That game marked me. For a year, I suffered. But I'm not one to defend myself in the media. I prefer to respond on the field. Now we're back in the Champions League: an exciting challenge awaits us».

The understanding with Conte: “He knows how to stimulate me every day” Lukaku does not hide the decisive weight of the coach in his career. «Conte is like a football father to me. Like Martinez with Belgium, Koeman at Everton, or Jacobs at Anderlecht. With him, we share the same mentality: only through work can you improve. His vision perfectly matches my characteristics. And I also study at home: I watch games, analyze, prepare».

“Today I'm more complete. Less ego, more vision” Compared to the player who exploded at Inter in 2019, Lukaku says he is a more evolved player. «I'm more experienced, more aware. I analyze games, study opponents, predict actions. Maybe I have less explosiveness, but I continue to make a difference starting from afar. Today, however, I'm more altruistic: the assists demonstrate it. Before, I thought more about myself, now I work for the team».

About the future: “At 32, you can still grow. I think of Benzema, not of stopping” «I have a gym at home, I train every day. I look at players like Benzema, who won the Ballon d'Or after 32. I want to improve. The great examples are not lacking: Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic… But also LeBron James: he says you must always move forward, and I agree».

The argument with Ibrahimovic? “No need to clarify, I respect him” Lukaku cuts short the discussion about the historic argument with Zlatan Ibrahimovic: «There's no need to clarify. I respect his career. He was a unique player».

De Bruyne, Lang, Lucca: Lukaku the leader Regarding De Bruyne's arrival, he is very clear: «I called him only twice. I explained what Napoli is, what it means to play here, our ambition. He likes challenges». But his role as a veteran! is not limited to the field: «I help the new players. I told Lucca: if you understand the movements, you'll see that every time there will be three options. I also took four months to understand Conte… but then everything worked».

The perfect season? “Not yet. I want more” With 14 goals and 10 assists, Lukaku has been decisive. But he is not satisfied: «When you're ambitious, you don't stop. I want to do more, even if I'm happy because the team won. Winning once can happen. Doing it twice means being a winner».

Family, past, pride The most intense part of his story concerns his roots. «I remember when my mother mixed water with milk. That's where I understood what poverty was. Today, I'm the man I wanted to become. I allowed my family to study, I built something for them. And every success I share with those who have always been close to me. My mom at the stadium, my children speaking three languages… I don't want them to relive what I experienced. This gives me strength every day».

The fight against racism: “Fewer words, more concrete actions” On the topic of racism, Lukaku remains direct: «Talking about it every time is complicated. Fewer declarations and more concrete facts are needed».

Napoli in his heart Finally, a joke about the dialect: «Napoletano? It's difficult, they speak very fast! But I love the morning greetings: “We, guagliù!”… It drives me crazy, I even write it to my friends. Here, I'm fine. This city gets under your skin».

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.