“I’m Not Drogba” – Romelu Lukaku Says As He Reflects On Time In England

Belgian striker, Romelu Lukaku has expressed his frustrations with Chelsea, stating that the club restricted him to a limited style of play, which he describes as being confined “in a box.”

Romelu Lukaku noted that there was an expectation for him to emulate Didier Drogba, a club legend known for his strength and ability to hold up the ball.

Recall that Lukaku’s journey with Chelsea began when he joined the club as a promising young striker. However, after it became evident that he was not part of the first-team plans, he was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and later to Everton. His time at Chelsea came to an end when he permanently transferred to Everton, where he began to flourish and develop his skills.

In 2019, Lukaku returned to Chelsea in a high-profile transfer from Inter Milan, creating significant hype and expectations.

Unfortunately, he struggled to find his footing at Stamford Bridge once again, and despite the high expectations set upon him, he did not perform to the club’s satisfaction.

Following a lackluster tenure, he was sold permanently to Napoli in the summer transfer window, where he has since begun to rejuvenate his career under the guidance of manager Antonio Conte.

In a recent appearance on the podcast channel Friends of Sports, as reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku elaborated on his experiences in England.

He emphasized that the footballing expectations placed upon him were often not aligned with his actual playing style.

“In England, they wanted to put me in a box. They see someone built like me and think new Drogba. I’m not like that,” Lukaku explained, contrasting his own game with that of the iconic Ivorian striker.

He further noted that Drogba was adept at playing with his back to goal, excelling at holding the ball regardless of how it was played to him, qualities that do not reflect Lukaku’s approach to the game.

The Belgium international added, “The narratives when I was in England were ‘he’s lazy, he doesn’t work hard, he’s not a leader, he’s selfish, first, he cannot hold a ball, blah blah blah.’”

In contrast, Lukaku pointed out his successful stint at Inter Milan, where he was recognized for his impact on the field, stating, “I played two years at Inter, and the narrative was ‘he’s back to goal, he’s the best player in the world, he’s top 5.’”