Romelu Lukaku has had a terrible Euro 2024 campaign for Belgium, with the stats really exposing his struggles in front of goal.
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Lukaku struggling to finish chancesHas been denied by VAR on three occasionsHas missed six big chancesWHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Devils progressed to the last 16, but they were abysmally unimpressive during their 0-0 draw against Ukraine on Wednesday evening. They lacked the cutting edge in attack and Lukaku's inability to score has been particularly glaring, with the striker failing to capitalise on multiple opportunities.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
However, Lukaku's quest to score at Euro 2024 has been marred by a series of unfortunate events. In Belgium’s opening group game against Slovakia, the striker thought he had scored when he tapped in a rebound from Amadou Onana’s effort. However, the goal was ruled out for offside, leaving Lukaku frustrated. Later in the match, a potential equaliser was also disallowed due to a handball by Lois Openda in the build-up.
His woes continued in Belgium’s second group game against Romania. Lukaku once again found the net, celebrating what he believed to be a legitimate goal. However, a VAR review determined that he was offside by the slimmest of margins. This marked the third time in the tournament that a goal of his had been chalked off by VAR.
DID YOU KNOW?
Lukaku's struggles are not just anecdotal but are backed by stark statistics. He currently holds the unenviable record of having the most big chances missed (6) and the most shots on target (7) without scoring. Additionally, his three disallowed goals highlight the fine margins that have worked against him in this tournament. These statistics underscore the frustration and challenges Lukaku has faced in his attempts to contribute to Belgium's goal tally.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUKAKU?
Looking ahead, Belgium are set to face a formidable opponent in France on Monday as they aim to progress to the quarter-finals. The match against France will be a significant test for Belgium, particularly for Lukaku, who will be eager to break his goal duct.