Romelu Lukaku explains why he had to leave the Premier League for Inter, knowing they’d be champions ‘on day one’ and fearing injuries could cut his career short. ‘What people don’t know is I tore my hamstring.’
The striker is one of the three stars of the new Amazon Prime Video series ‘One For All’ that follows Belgium internationals Lukaku, Axel Witsel and Thibaut Courtois.
Interviews with Lukaku cover why he decided to walk away from England and Manchester United to join Antonio Conte at Inter in the summer of 2019.
“I wasn’t happy anymore in England. I wanted something new. That’s why I left. I wanted something new,” he explained.
“My head just wasn’t there anymore. I didn’t feel myself evolving as a person. I was done. That’s why I left England, I wasn’t happy and I couldn’t function.
“And then I thought, okay, where now? Italy. I remember the day, signing for Inter. I landed, and the people, the weather, and the food… My family was good there and I thought this is it, I’m good.”
Lukaku had two of the best seasons of his career at Inter and much of that was down to the gruelling training he was put through by Conte and staff.
“I knew from day one that we were going to be champions. The training sessions were so… Everyone was driven. I had a drive. I felt I had gone to the next level, that would help me for the next season.
“I thought we did it, Romelu, you really did it. Sometimes you just need a moment like that in your life, being a businessman, a doctor, an artist. That one song, that one goal. Hopefully everyone has that moment in their life that you think okay, this is where I want to be. That was for me when I thought, I’m good.
“I remember showing my emotions on the pitch for the first time. Real emotions of joy, super happy.”
Despite that Scudetto-winning campaign and great celebrations in Milan, Lukaku still pushed for a return to the Premier League for Chelsea, a move he bitterly regrets.
Returning to Inter on loan wasn’t initially a great idea move either, because injuries wrecked his campaign and the World Cup with Belgium.
“What people don’t know is that I tore my hamstring behind the knee in August while training for the game against Cremonese. It was the first time I stood still in six months and I couldn’t really play. That really made me think. Maybe I need to rehabilitate more, so I can continue to play longer.
“That’s the downside of starting young. At some point, you need to call it a day. I will not beat around the bush, that’s when I think hmm… I’m turning 30 this summer. It’s been 13 years. Some players don’t make 13 years. I’ve got 100 caps, I scored so many goals. I’ve done all these things.
“One of my partners Eden, he has similar injuries. I love football, but is this much football good for the body? And for your mental health? Maybe those three or four days in September will do me good. Injections, treatments to keep playing, I’ve done it all and I carry the consequences to this day. It makes me think.
“I know I’m 102kg and sprinting all the time, I get kicked and such, but I am back in training the next day. I think, do I need to drop anything?”
Lukaku reveals his son Romeo also trains with the Inter youth team and it is very important to him that he is the one dropping off and picking up his son from school every day.
“My family is happy here. My Mom likes it, and my kids like it, my little one in particular. That is super important to me.”