Romelu Lukaku criticised for not following Kylian Mbappe example

James Shearman

• Updated: 4 Jul 2024 22:12 BST
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku has been criticised for not following Kylian Mbappe's example.

Lukaku was part of Belgium's team that recently lost their European Championship round-of-16 match against France.

After the game, the striker refused to speak to the media, which did not impress Belgian football legend Franky Van der Elst.

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"I think that's a bit lame," Van der Elst told Dutch outlet Voetbal. "If you are the star of the team, you have to visit the press at such a major tournament.

"Doesn't Kylian Mbappe do that for France? Kevin De Bruyne also performed that task well. That is a moral obligation."

Having said that, Van der Elst hopes that Lukaku does not retire from international football.

"If that happens, I would find it a great shame. Lukaku is still indispensable for the national team.

"It is true that things often don't work out for him at major tournaments, but it is better to stay away from social media."

Romelu Lukaku's future

Romelu Lukaku is still contracted to Chelsea but he will not be playing for the West London club in 2024/25.

There have been reports that he will return to Italy, this time with Antonio Conte's Napoli.

Meanwhile, Saudi Pro League clubs have also been linked with a move for the Belgian, and would be able to offer him a significant pay rise.