After Inter Milan was crowned Serie A, on Sunday, video footage showed Romelu Lukaku singing at the top of his voice and waving the team's black and blue shirt from the window of a car.
The Belgian striker could not resist the temptation to join the celebrations that flooded the streets after Inter won their first league title in 11 years.
Some fans could not believe their eyes when they saw Lukaku pass in front of them overjoyed, the striker whose goals, decisive passes and leadership helped the team win the title for the 19th time in the club's history.
Lukaku celebrating in the streets of Milan ❣️🏆 congratulations Inter pic.twitter.com/I66Pe0irN3
- FootballChampions (@ FootballChamp0) May 2, 2021
Former Inter owner Massimo Moratti told the newspaper "Gazzetta dello Sport" that when Lukaku launches the ball from midfield, "you ask yourself what will happen ... this is what you were hoping for."
It is difficult to argue when evaluating Lukaku, as he scored 21 league goals this season, and his decisive pass against Crotone last Saturday made him the first player to score at least 20 goals and create 10 more during one season in the
league since Opta Statistics began collecting data in the 2004-2005 season.
"He is a prominent player right now," said former Inter striker Ivan Zamorano on Lukaku.
Lukaku’s development has been remarkable under coach Antonio Conte, since his transfer to the club in a record € 80m transfer from Manchester United in August 2019.
Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta told Sky Italia that the most difficult negotiations were certainly to bring Lukaku, "but Conte was convinced that the player would make a big difference and he was right."
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Immediate effect
Lukaku has an immediate effect.
He changed his diet, lost weight and regained fitness, scoring 10 goals in his first 13 league matches to equal the record of 71-year-old Hungarian Stefan Nirsch
, in the player's best start in his first season with Inter.
Soon, harmony prevailed with his partner in attack, Lautaro Martinez, and they helped lead the Conte team to finish second in the European and local league last season.
Lukaku ended his first season with 34 goals in all competitions, equaling the record of Brazilian striker Ronaldo with Inter in the 1997-1998 season.
He repeated his strong start this season, when he scored 11 goals in his first 12 league matches, and played the starring role during crucial moments in Inter's race to the title.
The 27-year-old striker was praised for his leadership last November, when he was angry despite scoring two goals and making the same, as Inter rose up to make up for his delay and beat Turin.
"Frankly, we will not be a great team if the team continues to put itself in such difficult situations," he says.
And when difficult moments come, Lukaku shines, he scored two goals and made another in the 3-1 victory at Lazio stadium last February, to lead Inter to outperforming neighbors Milan and topping the competition for the first time this season.
But he put in an unforgettable performance in the next week's top game against Milan, creating the first goal for Martinez before running half the length of the field to score the third goal.
"My form has improved a lot in Italy," Lukaku says. "I had never felt this strong before. I have reached another stage of performance, physically and mentally." The Belgian striker was not exaggerating it.