Romelu Lukaku has an extraordinary record from the penalty spot which dates back more than three years, a report in the Italian media highlighted today.
The Belgian scored again from 12 yards on Wednesday when Belgium beat Wales 3-1 in their opening 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition pointed out that Lukaku had scored all of his last 18 penalties between club and country, with his last miss coming way back in August 2017.
He was denied on that occasion by Leicester City keeper Kasper Schmeichel, although it still ended in a 2-0 win for Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Lukaku has scored 14 penalties out of 14 since swapping the Red Devils for Inter two summers ago, the second longest run in the club’s history behind Roberto Boninsegna (who scored 19 in a row).
The 27-year-old bombards Inter’s back-up keepers Andrei Radu and Daniele Padelli with penalty practice at Appiano Gentile, the Milan-based paper revealed, and Lukaku’s hard work in training is clearly paying off.