The football world is mourning the death of Roger Menama Lukaku, a former Zaire international striker and father of Belgian stars Romelu and Jordan Lukaku. He passed away on Sunday in his hometown of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the age of 58.
His son, Napoli forward Romelu Lukaku, confirmed the news with an emotional tribute on social media early Monday. In his message, Romelu thanked his father for teaching him everything he knew and said life would never be the same without him. He described the pain of the loss but added that he was trusting God for the strength to move forward.
Roger Lukaku built his football career mainly in Belgium during the 1990s. He played for clubs such as FC Boom, Seraing, Germinal Ekeren, KV Mechelen, and KV Oostende, and also had a stint in Turkey with Gençlerbirliği. At international level, he earned 11 caps for Zaire, featuring in the African Cup of Nations tournaments in 1994 and 1996.
His death has left a deep mark not only on his family but also on the wider football community, where he is remembered as both a talented striker and the man who inspired two of Belgium’s most recognised players.
