Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has spoken about his decision not to take a crucial extra-time penalty during his team’s dramatic World Cup knockout victory over Senegal, saying he was not in the right mental space to handle such a pressure moment.
In comments shared after the match, which ended 3-2 in favour of Belgium, Lukaku explained that he initially wanted to take the penalty but chose to step aside for teammate Youri Tielemans, who eventually converted the decisive spot-kick to seal Belgium’s place in the next round.
“Did I want to take it? Yes,” Lukaku said. “But mentally I am still going through some difficult moments, so I prefer to leave such an important moment to Youri. The team comes first.”
His decision proved vital as Tielemans calmly scored in extra time to secure a hard-fought victory for Belgium in a tense knockout encounter.
The match itself reflected Belgium’s resilience under pressure. The team fought back from a difficult position, coming from 2-0 down, with Lukaku playing a key role earlier in the game by scoring an important equaliser that helped shift momentum.
The win has been widely described as one of the most dramatic comebacks of the tournament so far.
The victory also shows strong unity within the Belgian squad. Tielemans, who has been in impressive form for both club and country, stepped up in the decisive moment and delivered when it mattered most.
Lukaku also stressed the importance of team unity following the win, describing the result as one that could strengthen the group further as they push deeper into the competition.
“You need victories like this to unite the group even more. These are the most beautiful victories for us and for the fans,” he added.
The win sends Belgium into the next stage of the tournament, keeping their hopes alive as they continue their bid for World Cup glory.
