Romelu Lukaku had a nightmare game in Belgium’s Euro 2024 opener (Photo: Getty)
Ian Wright roasted Romelu Lukaku for making a costly mistake in Belgium’s shock defeat to Slovakia at Euro 2024 on Monday.
Slovakia produced the first real upset of this summer’s Euros when Ivan Schranz took advantage of a Jeremy Doku error to score after just seven minutes in Frankfurt.
That goal was enough to seal the win for the underdogs after Belgium wasted chance after chance to score, with Lukaku culpable for many of the missed opportunities.
The striker, who spent last season on loan at Roma from Chelsea, has become notorious for these comedically poor performances in big games, though he did actually find the back of the net twice against Slovakia, but on both occasions VAR ruled out the goals.
The first came when Lukaku poked home Amadou Onana’s header from close range but he was offside and replays showed that Onana’s effort was actually goal-bound and could have levelled the game.
‘Romelu Lukaku should just leave that. It’s going in!’ former Arsenal and England striker Wright told ITV.
‘The way the game’s gone for him, I don’t know if he’s desperate to score, I don’t know what it is. We know how the margins are for offside, if he leaves that it’s a goal. What can you say?
‘It’s the instinct of a striker but at the same time there’s no defender around him, the goalkeeper’s beaten. He could leave that.’
Former Chelsea star and BBC pundit Chris Sutton was also critical, adding: ‘In truth, it was lousy from Lukaku in the first half. It was three huge opportunities that he normally gobbles up.
‘He could have had the Golden Boot wrapped up already. Slovakia didn’t actually create too many chances, but it is about Belgium being wasteful.’
Lukaku was inconsolable after the defeat to Slovakia (Photo: Getty)
An exasperated Wright did however defend the 31-year-old over the second disallowed goal which was controversially ruled out for a handball against Lois Openda.
‘I’m not having this one. Whatever they say about the rule, I’m sorry it’s really tough,’ he added.
‘That’s harsh. How can they honestly say [it should be disallowed]? Because they’ve got like a smart ball or whatever it is?’
Belgium and Lukaku will be looking to bounce back in their next Group E match against Romania, who defeated Ukraine 3-0 in their opening game, on Saturday.
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