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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Belgium 4 Wales 3: De Bruyne breaks Welsh hearts after thrilling three-goal comeback and controversial VAR farce
KEVIN DE BRUYNE broke Wales hearts on a night of World Cup qualifying chaos in Belgium. The Advertisement 12 Kevin De Bruyne grabbed Belgium's winner against Wales Credit: Getty 12 But where do you start to sum up this seven-goal thriller - which included an epic three-goal comeback by Wales - which was dominated by several poor refereeing decisions and lengthy VAR checks? There were two first-half penalties awarded by referee Irfan Peljto - one for each side and both looked harsh. Then Romelu Lukaku had an 80th-minute goal ruled out following a five-minute VAR check - during which both managers were booked - because the ball went out of play in the build-up. On a night of mayhem in Brussels, the Dragons fell 3-0 down inside 27 minutes through goals by Lukaku from the penalty spot, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku as the hosts ran riot in the first half. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL Spirited Yet De Bruyne had the final say with a classy finish when the star midfielder was left unmarked at the back post. It left the visitors floored as Wales now trail North Macedonia by a point in Group J in their quest to reach the finals in USA, Mexico and Canada next summer with the Belgians only three points behind with two games in hand. Advertisement Most read in Football Breaking CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS To compound Bellamy's frustrations, the 45-year-old, who spent two years at Anderlecht, is due to return to Belgium for a friend's wedding later this week. Pre-match, Bellamy had hailed his first 12 months in the Wales job as the "best year" of his life. World Cup winner and one-club legend rolls back the years with stunning goal from halfway line But, after Spurs legend Jan Vertonghen received a heartfelt farewell from the Belgian public, Bellamy's Dragons were left furious by the award of Lukaku's 15th-minute penalty. Advertisement De Bruyne's shot hit the arm of Brennan Johnson from a short distance but Bosnian ref Peljto pointed to the spot. A lengthy VAR check did not overturn what looked to be a harsh decision and Napoli striker Lukaku slotted home his 89th international goal. Wales were rocked and failed to recover as Tielemans doubled the hosts' lead on 19 minutes when the Aston Villa midfielder, captain for the night, hit the top corner with a side-footed finish. Advertisement It was a slick team move from Rudi Garcia's men with De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard and Maxim de Cuyper involved before Tielemans was left unmarked to beat Karl Darlow. Wales almost halved the deficit instantly but David Brooks missed a glorious chance before Ben Davies forced Nottingham Forest keeper Matz Sels into a scrambling save. De Bruyne rolled an effort past the post but Manchester City wideman Doku made no mistake when he cut in on his left foot and fired past Darlow despite the Leeds stopper getting a hand to his shot. Wales, who had never won on Belgian soil, were handed a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when Sels was deemed to foul Chris Mepham when he clattered into the defender trying to punch a high ball away. Advertisement It appeared another harsh call by ref Peljto and Wilson scored from the spot by sending Sels the wrong way for his 14th Dragons goal. Trossard and Lukaku wasted chances to put the game to bed and Wales netted a second on 51 minutes when Wilson set up Thomas to slot home. Wales were in dreamland when Johnson headed home from Thomas' centre before De Bruyne scored his 31st Belgium goal in his final act before he was substituted to crush Bellamy and Co. 12 Youri Tielemans helped Belgium march into a commanding lead Credit: Getty Advertisement 12 Wales got a penalty on the stroke of half-time Credit: EPA 12 Harry Wilson converted his spot kick to give Wales a lifeline Credit: Getty 12 Sorba Thomas rolled in Wales' second to cut the deficit to one Credit: Getty 12 Brennan Johnson headed in a dramatic equaliser Credit: EPA Advertisement 12 Romelu Lukaku thought he had restored Belgium's advantage Credit: Reuters 12 Wales immediatel appealed to the ref as VAR took five minutes to rule it out Credit: Reuters 12 Wales did their trademark silly team photo before kick-off Credit: Getty 12 Lukaku scored from the penalty spot to get things going Credit: Getty Advertisement 12 Craig Bellamy and the Welsh team were left heartbroken Credit: Reuters
Metro
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Rio Ferdinand says Man Utd sold £75m Chelsea flop 'too soon'
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United made a rash decision when they sold Romelu Lukaku and has accused the club of failing to 'play to his strengths'. United spent £75m to sign the Belgian striker from Premier League rivals Everton in 2017. Jose Mourinho sanctioned Manchester United's big-money move after Lukaku scored 87 goals in 166 games for Everton. Lukaku established himself as one of the best strikers in England at Goodison Park after flopping at Chelsea, who signed him for the first time in 2011. Belgium's top goalscorer netted 27 goals during his first season at Old Trafford but was less influential in his second and was sold to Inter Milan just two years after joining United. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Two productive seasons in Serie A earned Lukaku a move back to Chelsea worth almost £100m but the striker, now 32, struggled at Stamford Bridge and was sent on back-to-back loan moves back to Italy. Lukaku finally left Chelsea on a permanent transfer last summer and this season has helped Napoli win the Serie A title, scoring 14 goals in the league. 'I need to give a shoutout to a man called Romelu Lukaku,' Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel before explaining the 'mistake' Manchester United made with the striker. 'He's another player who's left Manchester United [and thrived]. He's won Serie A again and scored on the night they won it. 'I look at Lukaku and the problem, especially in England, has been everyone looks at what he can't do or what he's not so good at. 'Just because he's big and quick people expect him to play in a certain way. His game is about running onto things and running at people. 'Another mistake I think Man United made was we didn't play to his strengths and we got rid of him too quick probably. More Trending 'When you don't play to his strengths he's not going to be able to produce his best work. 'But he's shown what quality he has, his goal record over the years really stacks up.' Lukaku was not the only former Manchester United player to star in Napoli's Serie A title win, with Scott McTominay playing a crucial role in the club's success this season. The Scotland international, who was sold by boyhood club United last summer for £25m, had 16 goal involvements in the Italian top-flight. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Matheus Cunha takes Manchester United star's shirt number ahead of £62.5m transfer MORE: Paul Scholes urges Jack Grealish to join Premier League club after Man City snub MORE: Jamie Redknapp tells Ruben Amorim to sell key Manchester United star
Observer
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Napoli crowned Serie A champions; Inter miss out
*McTominay and Lukaku secure title for Napoli *Napoli celebrate fourth Serie A crown *Manager Conte wins Scudetto with third different team NAPLES, Italy: Napoli secured the Serie A title in style with a dominant 2-0 home win over Cagliari on Friday thanks to goals from Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku. Napoli celebrated their second Italian crown in three years - and fourth overall - after a thrilling battle with Inter whose 2-0 win at Como thanks to goals from Stefan de Vrij and Joaquin Correa left them one point adrift of their rivals. McTominay opened the scoring for Napoli three minutes before the break with a stunning bicycle kick from Matteo Politano's cross, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Lukaku doubled the lead six minutes after the restart by latching on to a long ball, shrugging off a defender and calmly finishing past Cagliari keeper Alen Sherri. The rest of the match turned into a celebration at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium as flares and smoke filled the pitch before the final whistle blew and fireworks lit up the Naples sky. For manager Antonio Conte, the victory represented another milestone in his career, securing the Serie A title with a third different club, having previously achieved the feat with Juventus and Inter. "It happened again, and it's something wonderful. When we got to the stadium, it was honestly difficult to get in, as I don't know how many people were there. I had a slight thought, if we let these people down, it'd be something we carried with us for a long time," he told reporters. Conte was absent from the touchline for the final match due to suspension, but Napoli completed their task. "All the credit goes to the boys. Winning in Naples is difficult, these boys are doing it for the second time in two years," he said. "They are serious boys, you don't leave in a team that always plays to win." In front of a buzzing crowd brimming with nerves, Napoli flew out of the blocks as Giacomo Raspadori pounced on a rebound from a corner and drilled a low shot inches wide. Two minutes later, a teasing cross floated just too high for Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa to meet cleanly with a free header much to the chagrin of the home crowd. The chances kept coming as a blistering Napoli counter sent Raspadori through, only for Sherri to deny him smartly before Politano blasted the rebound over. The Albanian keeper played the party spoiler in most of the first half, pulling off a string of stunning saves that left Napoli's players frustrated. The mood dipped around the 20th minute as word spread that Inter had taken the lead in Como, sapping the energy from the stands and halting Napoli's momentum along with the match's intensity. Once McTominay had worked his magic, however, Napoli never looked back. "It is the well-deserved victory of an extraordinary team and a city that never stops dreaming, fighting and loving," Naples mayor Gaetano Manfredi wrote on X. — Reuters
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
What is Romelu Lukaku's net worth in 2025? Salary, endorsements, and more explored
Image Source: Getty Romelu Lukaku remains one of football's most marketable and financially successful players as of May 2025. Currently starring as a forward for Serie A team Napoli, the Belgian football player has not only achieved fame but also fortune from his footballing contracts, endorsements, and business interests. Salary and career earnings of Romelu Lukaku Romelu Lukaku signed with Napoli on 22 August 2024, estimated contract value is €23.07 million (€7.69 million per year) with the club. The signing represents the latest big-money transfer for the striker, who moved from Chelsea to Napoli next summer for €30 million, establishing himself as one of the most expensive players in the history of the sport. Lukaku has earned an estimated €101.8 million over the course of his career, in contemporary value, in 2025, that would be about €114.7 million. Endorsements and business ventures of Romelu Lukaku Aside from his football earnings, Lukaku has signed several sponsorship deals with big brands such as Nike, Puma, and Adidas, while his Nike deal is believed to be worth more than £10m. And he has collaborated with the likes of Gillette, Nivea, and Maserati, adding to his income sources. Apart from endorsements, Lukaku has also invested in real estate and wellness technology. He has residences in Antwerp and Milan and is an ambassador, investor, and adviser for Therabody, the wellness tech brand, best known for its Theragun massage devices. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Romelu Lukaku's net worth estimate as of 2025 Adding up his football salary, endorsement contracts, and business endeavors, Lukaku is worth about $150 million as of 2025. All this wealth translates to his well-established success on and off the field, which has made him one of the richest players of his generation for sure. With Lukaku enjoying a strong season at Napoli and a regular on the national side, his wealth is only going to increase, so that his name will be remembered for something other than the beautiful sport. And then there is Lukaku's impact beyond the field, one that he extends in philanthropy work and investment in youth development as well — a desire to contribute to his community. Also Read: Napoli claim fourth Serie A title as Inter Milan fall short This multi-dimensional nature of both his career and life not only ensures his financial stability but also enhances the status of a true model to aspiring athletes worldwide. Outside of football, Lukaku has already discussed plans to push into business across the likes of sports management and fashion, suggesting an entrepreneurial streak that should help add to his wealth in the future. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Romelu Lukaku fires Napoli to their fourth league title
Napoli needed a win against Cagliari to guarantee their second Scudetto in three years, and goals from Scott McTominay and De Rode Duivels' all time top scorer, Romelu Lukaku, capped off an emotional night at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Antonio Conte's side had lost talisman Victor Osihmen at the start of the season, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in January, yet managed to beat defending champions Inter to the title by just one point. This was in large part to the signing of Lukaku for a fee of €30m from Chelsea last summer. The striker recorded 14 goals and 10 assists this campaign, and despite Scott McTominay winning the Serie A MVP award, Lukaku finished top scorer for his side, and only Mario Retegui has more goal involvements this season. His goal against Cagliari was something we've been so accustomed to for years; chasing down a loose ball, bullishly taking the ball past defenders, before slotting home with his prolific left foot. The experienced striker, who progressed through Anderlecht's youth system, has now won six major trophies in his career, and will now return to playing Champions League football with Napoli next year. GBENeFN | Samuel Fabre
