Belgium warned they will be in ‘big trouble’ when 94-goal Romelu Lukaku retires - with ex-Chelsea & Man Utd striker considered to be ‘one of the best’

The burly forward has faced some uncomfortable questions over the course of his career, with not everybody convinced that a man with rather unique physical qualities has maximised his full potential.

Lukaku does, however, have over 100 Premier League goals to his name - from spells at West Brom, Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea - and is a two-time Serie A title winner courtesy of productive stints at Inter and Napoli.

He is also his country’s all-time leading marksman, having found the target on 94 occasions through 135 appearances for Belgium, and is showing no sign of slowing down at 33 years of age. A one-year contract with Turkish heavyweights was signed in the summer of 2026.

More doubters have been found in that part of the world, with end product in short supply so far, but a habit has been made of offering the perfect response to those that have been quick to write him off.

Asked if Lukaku could have done any more, Belgian legend Albert - who was speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Bitranked.com - said: “Lukaku is one of the best strikers ever in Belgium.

“In every club he went to play for, he did well. He scored fantastic goals, loads of goals, and with the national team we were very lucky to have him over the last 15 years because we have no replacement.

“When Lukaku and [Kevin] De Bruyne and [Thibaut] Courtois stop, they are the last three of the golden generation, and when those three stop, we'll be in big trouble because we don't have a replacement for those types of players who were world-class players, and still are.”

Lukaku cost Everton £28 million ($37m), United £75m ($100m) and Chelsea - when returning him to Stamford Bridge for a second spell - £97.5m ($130m). He plundered 121 goals in the English top-flight, but feels his strengths were not always embraced in the most demanding of divisions.

He has previously told the Friends of Sports podcast: “The narrative has always been if someone says something about you and as a footballer you don't react to it. Everyone runs with it and that's what happened to me.

“I remember the narratives when I was in England was: 'He's lazy, he doesn't work hard, he's not a leader, he's selfish, first touch, he cannot hold a ball, blah blah blah'. I played for two years at Inter: 'His back to goal, he's the best player in the world, he's top five!'.

“In England, they wanted to put me in a box. They see someone built like me and think he's the new Drogba, and because Didier did what he did they think I have to do the same. I'm not like that. Didier was more back to goal, he could hold up the ball no matter where you play it in from. That wasn't my style. Just let me make my run in behind, play me in.”

While managers may not have always used him in the most productive manner, Lukaku has still found a way of terrorising opposition defences and deserves immense credit for that. A place in the history books is already safely secured.

It remains to be seen when the end of a professional line will be reached, as he heads towards free agency in the summer of 2027, and when the day will come for the No.9 jersey with Belgium to be passed on to someone else.