Crying Romelu Lukaku claims he was ‘dead before joining Napoli’ – as he gives emotional interview after scoring first goal since the death of his father

Romelu Lukaku welled up with tears after scoring his first goal of the season following the death of his father in September. 

The Belgian was mobbed by team-mates after scoring a 96th-minute winner on Napoli’s trip to Hellas Verona at the weekend.

It was an emotional moment for Lukaku after a season during which he has endured bereavement, extortion, and crippling injury. 

‘On a personal level soccer gives you a lot. It has given me everything but losing my father like I lost him weighs on me every day,’ the 32-year-old told DAZN. 

‘But it is what it is and I carry on for my daughters, for my brother and for Napoli which has given me so much.

‘Because before arriving at Napoli I was dead. Last year we did something wonderful, this year is a bit difficult for us, but we have to look forwards and do everything to finish as high as possible in the table.’

The Napoli striker was mobbed his his team-mates after scoring a 96th-minute winner 

Roger Lukaku died aged 58 in September, but Romelu and his brother Jordan were unable to attend the funeral after claiming they were ‘extorted’ over his body 

Lukaku’s dad, Roger, died aged 58 in September. In the weeks following the tragedy, Lukaku claimed that he and his brother Jordan were ‘extorted’ by people refusing to hand over their father’s body for his funeral in Belgium.

As a result, the funeral took place in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo, the nation Roger played for, and the brothers were unable to attend it. 

This was Lukaku’s sixth appearance of the season – all have come off the bench – after he was ruled out with a long-term hamstring injury. 

Celebrating his goal, he took his shirt off was using it to wipe his tears, but he was booked all the same. 

Even his manager Antonio Conte, often seen as a stern figure, was emotional after full time. 

‘I will carry the experience of this season with me for the rest of my career. It’s taught me a lot,’ he said.

‘I’ve had to manage situations that have never happened to me before. You need to give proper weight to the human side and find the right words.’ 

Napoli are unlikely to repeat their Serie A triumph of last season as they are sat third and 14 points behind Inter Milan. 

They are out of the Champions League and Coppa Italia and thus their main focus is qualifying for Europe’s top tournament again. They did lift the Supercoppa Italiana in December.