Jordan Lukaku

Anderlecht

Like his older brother, Romelu, Jordan started his youth careers at a young age at KFC Wintam, Boom FC and Lierse before joining Anderlecht in 2006, where he started his professional career. Despite interests from Premier League side Arsenal, Jordan signed his first professional contract with the club, keeping him until 2013.

Having previously trained with the first team in the 2010-11 season, along with his brother (who then left the club for Chelsea at the time), Lukaku was first included in a senior matchday squad on 1 December 2011, remaining an unused substitute in Anderlecht's 2–1 win at AEK Athens in the group stage of the season's UEFA Europa League. His debut came the following on 21 March 2012 against Zulte Waregem, which saw Anderlecht win 2-1, a moment he later said after the match: "it was the best day of his life". Then on 6 April when he started in a goalless Pro League game at Standard Liège; he totalled six appearances as his team won the league that season.

However, he did not play at all as they retained the title the following campaign, only making the bench twice. During the season, he missed out the start of the season, due to suffering a stress fracture. As he struggled in the first team, Jordan was linked with a loan move to an unknown clubs in Eredivisie, but rejected the move and was sent to the reserve team instead.

On 21 July 2013, he came on as an 87th-minute substitute for Matías Suárez as Anderlecht won the year's Belgian Super Cup 1–0 against Genk at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. However, after appearing two matches at the start of the season, Jordan announced his desire to leave the club to get regular first team football.

Oostende

Soon after playing in the Belgian Super Cup, Lukaku left Anderlecht to join Oostende on loan until the end of the season.

Lukaku made his Oostende debut, where he came on as a substitute in the second half and played 45 minutes, in a 1–0 loss against Lokeren on 31 August 2013. Since making his Oostende debut, Lukaku established himself as a regular in the first team, even he was in the substitute and in a match against Genk on 23 November 2013, he set up one of the goals, in a 4–0 win. However, Lukaku's last appearance for the club came on 25 January 2014 against Waasland-Beveren. Lukaku never made another appearance for the club again, as he suffered a pubalgia that kept him out of the season. Despite this, Lukaku went on to make fifteen appearance in all competitions.

With his contract expiring at Anderlecht at the end of the season, Lukaku joined Oostende on a permanent basis, signing a four-year contract. Lukaku's first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came on 1 August 2014, playing his former club, Anderlecht, in a 2–0 loss. Lukaku continued to be in a regular in the first team at Oostende despite being absence on two occasions, including his sending off against Gent on 25 January 2015. In his first permanent season at the club, Lukaku went on to make thirty appearances in all competitions.

In the 2015-16 season, Lukaku started the season well when he set up one of the goals, in a 3–1 win over Mechelen in the opening game of the season, followed up by scoring his first goal for the club, in a 2–1 win over Westerlo, which he was named Team of the Week. Lukaku continued to be in the first team until he was absence from late-2015, due to injuries. Lukaku then scored his second goal of the season on 31 January 2016, in a 3–3 draw against Mouscron. After returning from injury in early-May, Lukaku scored from his injury, in a 2–1 win over Genk on 14 May 2016. Lukaku finished his second season, making thirty-four appearances and scoring three times in all competitions.

Lazio

With a hint from the club's pres, stating that he could leave the club in the summer, it was announced on 22 July 2016, he signed with Italian club Lazio for €4 million plus a reported €1 million in performance-related bonuses. Upon joining the club, Lukaku was given a number six shirt and was presented to the club several days later.

Lukaku made his Lazio debut, where he made his first start and played the whole game, in a 4-3 win over Atalanta in the opening game of the season. He continued to remain in the first team until he suffered an injury during an international break that kept him out for a month. It wasn't until on 27 November 2016 when he made his return from injury, coming on as a substitute in the second half, in a 1–0 win over Palermo.

International career

After previously representing Belgium U15, Belgium U16, Belgium U18 and Belgium U19, Jordan rejected a chance to play for DR Congo, in favor of playing for Belgium instead. It came after when Lukaku was called up by the national side in late-2011.

Following his impressive performance at Oostende, Lukaku was called by the senior team for the first team. On 10 October 2015, Lukaku made his senior debut for the national team in a 4–1 win in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualification match against Andorra; the victory qualified his team to the finals. In his next game on the following 29 March, he replaced Guillaume Gillet in the 59th minute of a friendly away to Portugal in Leiria, and sent in the cross that was headed in by his brother as consolation in a 2–1 loss.

After being included for the a 24-man preliminary squad, Lukaku was selected for UEFA Euro 2016 squad, wearing shirt number 21. He made one appearance in the tournament, playing 75 minutes in place of the injured Jan Vertonghen in Belgium's 3–1 quarterfinal defeat to Wales.

Club

International

Personal life

Lukaku was born in Antwerp. His father is Roger Lukaku, who played professional football and was capped at international level by Zaire. He has an older brother, Belgium and Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, who also progressed through the youth academy at Anderlecht.

While at the youth academy at Anderlecht, Jordan, along with Romelu, used to be picked by his father and took them to training every morning. Unlike his older brother, Jordan grew up supporting Arsenal. Around 2012, Jordan became a victim of fake profiling. It came after he was involved in a controversial circumstances, prompting angry response from social media.

In December 2014, Jordan was charged with speeding and had his driving license revoked for fifteen days, as well as, being fined for 600 euros. However, the following month, Jordan's closest friend, Junior Malanda, killed in a car crash and upon learning his death, Jordan paid tribute to him via Instagram. Three months later, Jordan was charged with the same offence and was not allowed to drive for a year. However, the judge told him he was on his last warning and if he does it again, he would be facing a jail sentence. The following year, he was charged with the same offence for the third time and was banned from driving for fifteen months.

Honours