On the eve of the Sporting clash, Napoli star mourns his father's passing | OneFootball

Roger Menama Lukaku, former Congolese international striker and father of Romelu Lukaku, Napoli’s striker, died on Sunday, September 28, in his hometown of Kinshasa, at the age of 58. During his playing career, Roger played for several clubs in Belgium, standing out for his spells at Mechelen, Germinal Ekeren, Oostende, and Seraing. He also had a stint at Gençlerbirligi in Turkey.

His death sparked emotional reactions in the football world. Romelu Lukaku shared an emotional farewell message on social media, stating that he was deeply grateful for the teachings, protection, and support he received from his father throughout his life.

“Thank you for teaching me everything I know. I will be eternally grateful and I appreciate you. Life will never be the same. You protected and guided me like no one else. I will never be the same again. The pain and tears flow endlessly, but God will give me the strength to rebuild myself. Thank you for everything,” wrote the Napoli striker.

Sporting will only return to the pitch next Wednesday, October 1, against Napoli. The match, part of the second round of the Champions League, will be played against the team led by Antonio Conte – who has a major headache to solve before the Napoli-Sporting clash – and will take place at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium at 8:00 p.m.

Romelu Lukaku has been injured since the start of the season and has yet to play any minutes in official competitions. The 32-year-old player, crucial in Napoli’s Serie A title, will not be available for the match against the Alvalade club.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.