An emotional Romelu Lukaku struggled to hold back tears as he scored his first goal of a challenging season marked by both professional and personal hardships.
After just 41 minutes of play this season due to a serious thigh injury sustained in preseason, Lukaku struck in the sixth minute of stoppage time, guiding Napoli to a 2-1 victory over the last-placed Hellas Verona.
Tears welled in his eyes when the final whistle blew shortly after. His previous goal was recorded on May 23, followed by a difficult few months that included the sudden passing of his father in September at the age of 58.
Following his decisive goal, Lukaku pointed skyward, joining the jubilant Napoli celebrations.
“Football gives you a lot on a personal level. It has provided me with everything, but the loss of my father weighs on me every day,” Lukaku shared with DAZN, visibly emotional. “But I push forward for my daughters, my brother, and for Napoli, which has offered me so much.”
“Before joining Napoli, I felt lost. Last year was truly remarkable for us, and while this year has presented challenges, we must stay optimistic and strive to finish as high as possible in the standings.”
Last year, Lukaku honored his late father, Roger, in an emotional tribute upon his passing.
“Thank you for imparting everything I know,” the Belgium international wrote on Instagram. “I’ll always be grateful. Life will never feel the same.”
“You protected and guided me like no one else could. I won’t be the same. The pain and tears are overwhelming. But I believe God will give me the strength to rebuild myself.”
Saturday’s victory marked Napoli’s first win in four outings across all competitions. The defending Serie A champions remain third in the league, closing the gap to leaders Inter Milan to 11 points, with Inter set to face lowly Genoa later in the day.
Verona is still nine points adrift of safety.
Napoli started strong, as Rasmus Højlund headed in a goal from 12 meters just two minutes into the match.
However, Højlund’s involvement continued, leading to Verona’s equalizer in the 65th minute. Attempting to clear a Verona corner, his effort fell to Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, whose shot was deflected off Højlund into the net. The goal was credited to Akpa Akpro since the original shot was on target.
In a late twist, Verona nearly clinched the win in stoppage time, but Kieron Bowie was unable to direct his attempt on target after Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret fumbled a cross.
Ultimately, Napoli secured the win, as a short corner was played, leading to a cross from Giovane, setting up Lukaku to score with a first-time finish from close range.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.