HOW TO MAKE IT IN FOOTBALL | Lukaku inspirational interview

Summary

In this engaging interview, Romelu Lukaku shares insights into his journey from a young talent to a professional football star. He emphasizes the importance of mental strength and the sacrifices made to excel in the sport. Lukaku also discusses his passion for music, his connection to Puma, and his involvement in designing his own shoes. The conversation reveals his dedication to his craft and his ability to stay focused amidst the pressures of fame and performance.

Takeaways

• 🏆 Romelu Lukaku emphasizes the importance of mental strength and desire in achieving success as a young football talent.
• 🔄 Lukaku discusses the challenges of maintaining focus at a young age, especially when faced with distractions like parties and girls.
• 👨‍👦 Lukaku shares his motivation to be a role model for his younger brother and the pride in their joint success in professional football.
• 💪 He highlights the necessity of finding inner strength and overcoming hardships, using past struggles as motivation for improvement.
• 🎶 Lukaku's passion for music is evident, revealing his interest in becoming a music producer and his connection to it from a young age.
• 🎤 The interview touches on the tradition of singing an initiation song when joining a new football club, with Lukaku mentioning his song choices.
• 👟 Lukaku's decision to join Puma is influenced by his personal history, his father's connection to the brand, and his African heritage.
• 👟‍♂️ He is actively involved in the design of his football boots, showing pride in his creations and their reception by fans.
• 🤝 Lukaku's interview showcases his humility and gratitude, acknowledging the support of his family and the opportunities he's had.
• ⚽ The conversation includes playful banter about Lukaku's performance on the field, with promises of scoring goals for his fans.
• 📺 The script concludes with a call to action for viewers to engage with the content, subscribe to the channel, and explore more interviews.

Q & A

At what age did Romelu Lukaku start receiving attention from newspapers?

Romelu Lukaku started receiving attention from newspapers when he was around 13 or 14 years old.

What does Lukaku believe is the decisive factor for making it as a talent in football?

Lukaku believes that the decisive factor is the mindset and the desire to succeed, emphasizing the importance of not dwelling on past performances and focusing on the next game.

How did Lukaku stay focused during his teenage years despite distractions like parties and girls?

Lukaku stayed focused by thinking about his brother and wanting to set an example for him, which also motivated his brother to succeed.

What was the hardest part of Lukaku's journey according to his own words?

The hardest part of Lukaku's journey was off the football field, where he had to find inner strength to overcome challenges.

How did Lukaku develop the ability to ignore external opinions and focus on his game?

Lukaku developed the ability by learning from his father's advice to not listen to what people are saying and focusing on the next game.

What habit did Lukaku adopt that he believes contributed to his readiness for the professional game?

Lukaku trained more than others and made sacrifices, which he believes prepared him for the professional level.

What was Lukaku's childhood aspiration related to music?

Lukaku aspired to become a DJ and producer, inspired by the DJ set at the bar where his mother worked.

How many times did Lukaku sing as part of an initiation at Everton?

Lukaku sang twice at Everton as part of the initiation process.

What song did Lukaku choose for his initiation song at Everton?

Lukaku chose 'The Evils' by Jay-Z for his initiation song at Everton.

Why did Lukaku decide to join the Puma family for his football boots?

Lukaku joined Puma because he believed in the product after trying the shoe for over three years, and he appreciated the brand's connection to his African heritage and the players he looked up to.

What special project was Lukaku involved in with Puma?

Lukaku was involved in designing a special edition of Puma boots, which he wore in training and showcased on Instagram.

Outlines

00:00

🏆 The Rise and Mindset of Romelu Lukaku

This paragraph delves into the early recognition of Romelu Lukaku's talent and his journey to success. At the age of 14, Lukaku was already making headlines. He discusses the importance of mindset and desire in achieving success, emphasizing the need to stay focused and not dwell on past performances. Lukaku shares his experience of balancing the distractions of youth, such as parties and relationships, with the discipline required to excel in football. He also talks about the influence of his family, particularly his brother, and how he used his success as a role model for him. Lukaku candidly discusses the hardships he faced off the field and how finding inner strength helped him to overcome them. The paragraph concludes with Lukaku's approach to handling criticism and maintaining focus, which involves developing a thick skin and concentrating on self-improvement.

05:04

👟 Lukaku's Puma Partnership and Personal Passions

In this paragraph, the conversation shifts to Lukaku's decision to join Puma, a brand he had been trying for over three years and found to be the right fit. He highlights the connection between Puma and his African heritage, mentioning other African footballers who have worn the brand. Lukaku also shares a personal anecdote about his mother and his childhood dream of owning a DJ set, which he eventually fulfilled as an adult. The paragraph includes a light-hearted exchange about Lukaku's experience with singing initiation songs at new clubs and his choice of song. The discussion wraps up with Lukaku's involvement in a special project with Puma, where he designed his own shoes, and his promise to wear them in a future game, showing his dedication to both his personal style and the brand.

Keywords

💡Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku is a professional football player from Belgium, known for his success and impact on the field. In the video, he is the central figure, sharing his experiences and insights about his career and personal life. His name is used to establish the context and focus of the interview.

💡Talent

Talent refers to a natural aptitude or skill, especially in sports or the arts. In the script, Lukaku discusses the difference between those with talent who make it professionally and those who do not, emphasizing the importance of mindset and desire as decisive factors in realizing one's potential.

💡Mental Strength

Mental strength is the ability to remain focused and determined despite challenges or distractions. Lukaku mentions finding his inner strength to overcome difficulties off the football field, illustrating how mental resilience is crucial for success in high-pressure environments.

💡Professional Football Player

A professional football player is someone who plays football as a paid career. Lukaku's journey to becoming a professional is highlighted, with references to his early aspirations and the sacrifices he made to achieve his goals.

💡Sacrifice

Sacrifice in this context means giving up something valuable for the sake of a goal or ambition. Lukaku talks about the sacrifices he made, such as training more and foregoing other activities, to become a successful football player.

💡Focus

Focus is the act of concentrating one's attention on a particular object or activity. The video emphasizes the importance of focus for Lukaku, as he had to ignore distractions and concentrate on his football career, especially during his teenage years.

💡Inner Strength

Inner strength is the personal resilience and determination that enables one to overcome adversity. Lukaku reflects on his past hardships and how he found the inner strength to turn his life around, which is a central theme in his narrative.

💡Music

Music is an art form that involves combining vocal or instrumental sounds to create a harmonious and expressive composition. Lukaku's passion for music is discussed, showing a different side of his personality and interests outside of football.

💡Initiation Song

An initiation song is a tradition in some sports clubs where new members must sing a song as part of their introduction to the team. The script mentions Lukaku's experience with this tradition, providing a glimpse into the camaraderie and rituals within football clubs.

💡Puma

Puma is a multinational corporation that produces athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. Lukaku discusses his decision to join Puma, highlighting the brand's connection to his heritage and his personal belief in their products.

💡Heritage

Heritage refers to the traditions, culture, and history that are handed down from one generation to another. Lukaku expresses pride in his African heritage and how it influenced his choice of sports brand, Puma, which has a history of supporting African athletes.

Highlights

Romelu Lukaku discusses the importance of mental strength and determination for young talents to succeed in football.

Lukaku emphasizes the need to focus on consistent performance rather than dwelling on past successes.

The Belgian footballer shares his experience of balancing personal life challenges with professional football at a young age.

Lukaku talks about his motivation to succeed for his brother and being a role model for him.

He reveals the difficulties faced off the football field and finding inner strength to overcome them.

Lukaku explains how he managed to shut out external opinions and focus on his own development.

The footballer shares his disciplined approach to training and sacrifice for his career.

Lukaku's father's influence on his life and career choices, including the decision to join Puma.

His connection to music and aspirations to become a producer, inspired by his mother's work in a bar.

Lukaku's experience with changing clubs and the tradition of an initiation song.

The story behind his choice of song for the initiation ritual at Everton and his love for Jay-Z's music.

His decision to join the Puma family after three years of trying their shoes and the brand's connection to his heritage.

Lukaku's involvement in a special project with Puma, designing his own shoes.

The footballer's excitement about wearing his designed shoes in training and receiving positive feedback.

Lukaku's memorable game against Tottenham and the emotional impact it had on fans.

His promise to wear his designed shoes for Belgium's games, showing his dedication to fans.

The interview concludes with Lukaku's promise to score goals for his fans and a call to action for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content.

Transcripts

When I was 14-13 people were already talking about me in the newspapers

In today's special interview Romelu Lukaku pretty much makes me the happiest man on Earth

- You made those shoes? My dog! - I designed those.

But before we get there, I wanted to tap into the mind of Big Rom to hopefully

learn a thing or two from the Belgian who's already experienced a whole lot despite his young age...

And what better way to do that than to sit down with the big man himself: Romelu Lukaku, what's up?

- What's up man, how you doing? - Thanks for talking to us.

So let's start by going back in time a little bit

looking at young kids out there, there's a lot of talent. You played

with a lot of talented people: some of you guys made it, others didn't

what do you think is the decisive factor to making it as a talent versus not making it?

It's all in here, it's all in the mind I think you know how much do you want it.

Imagine if you have a good performance when you're 15-16, you always think about that performance

and forget that there is a next game and you have to produce the same thing or

even better so you know that's the thing you know 15-16 is the age where you know

it gets dangerous sometimes for us you know like, parties, the first parties

- the first girls... - But you kept focused back then I remember

I had to! Yeah but at 16 I was playing, I was a full-time pro

When I was 16 I was like thinking about my brother

like for me it was my brother, I wanted my brother to just make it, I didn't care

about anybody else but I just tried to be an example for him and thankfully he

made it as well so you know now we're both enjoying "the life" that we wanted to

enjoy, my family's enjoying it so it's all good now yeah. It was really

hard you know especially off the football field man that was the hardest

part but, you know, you have to find that inner strength and you know for me

it was seeing bad things and I'm grateful to God every day that we managed to

turn it around and now we can look back and learn from the moments that we lived in

the past and whatever like there is like a hard time now I always think about the

hard times back then, because now it's nothing because we have everything that

we want. Yeah you've tried it all right? I've tried it all, we have we have everything

that we want but back then we didn't had anything so I always think about those

times and then at the end of day I'm like, hey you know what, it's not so bad

I just have to work and you know try to improve on what I can

So did you do something back then, like change some of your habits you can see now made you

ready for the grown-up game, the highest level? I just trained more than the others

I sacrificed everything, that was the first thing you know. I remember my dad

always telling me "no you can't do this, you can't do that"

and I'm like "eeeehhh" - but at the end, at one point you know when

I was like 13 I was like you know what I'm so close of being a professional

football player and instead of like you know counting the days I was counting

the months. So basically what I'm getting is that you managed to shut everything

out. Everyone has an opinion, it's on social media, it's on the media, when

things are not going well. How do you like shut out and focus everything

around you just good or bad? Same thing like I did back in the day you know when

I was 14-13 people were already talking about me in the newspapers and I

remember my dad caught me having one of those newspapers in my hand. It was like

positive coaching and telling me like listen there is a next game coming up

don't listen to what people are saying about you because at the end of the day

ABC can say this and it doesn't matter at the end of the day

so for me it was about developing the art of not giving a *bleep*

- I know you're big into music - Yeah, definitely

Do you think that's like a similarity between, you know, the sports, the business

and the music industry? Yeah, all the athletes they want to become artists

Do you wanna become an artist?

Naah, I wanted to become a producer. I remember like my mom used to

clean in a bar when I was like seven or eight years old, there was a DJ set at

the back you know I used to tell my uncle like all the time like you know

when I get money like I'll buy one of those so yeah when I turned 21 I bought

my first DJ set and my mom came into the house she looked at me she started smiling

I was like "I told you I would buy one" so that's what I really enjoy

I really enjoy music. You've changed club a few times so you

know that every time you come to a new club you have to sing, right?

There's an initiation song. Did you also sing? I didn't sing at United, I sung at

Everton twice... What did you sing there? Twice? I sung The Evils from Jay-Z

it's my favorite song, I mean who knows in the future I might change the song

so now I'm just trying to find a song that has good bars in it

Don't think of a new song that means you have to change clubs, stay at Man United!

Lets talk about your boots here, why did you decide to join the Puma family?

I tried this shoe for over three years so after three years you can really decide what you like right

so after three years you know I made the decision that it was the right fit for

me because I believed in the product and they believed in me as a

player. Second of all my dad came in Europe in -89, first shoe he was wearing

Puma... Full circle! In -93 when I was born the shoe he was wearing: Puma so...

- You kinda had to! - It's not like that but you know

sometimes now when I look back I'm like, you know what I'm saying? It had to be. Yeah so I like and

also like you know I'm from African heritage really proud of it and you know

Puma has a strong connection with my people and like I said you

know Samuel Eto'o, Yaya Toure, Nicolas Anelka

you know all guys that I looked up to when I was you know younger they all

play with this brand so you know I'm glad that I can you know yeah I

I understand, and even though you haven't been with them for that long you've

been kind of involved in a special project..

Yeah yeah yeah, I remember these

These are nice as well man I like these, yeah sometimes in

training there are off days that I wear them and then they see it on the internet and

then they give me like negative calls. Oh really, because did you realize that I made those shoes?

- You made those shoes? My dog. - I designed those yeah.

Honestly these with the Glory Pack

the last one that I had were the best. Oh man you're making my day here.

Trust me man!

The day you wore them in training and you put them on Instagram I was screaming inside

I'm a Man United fan. Oh yeah, these were nice man

and I told I told my guy at Puma, I said to him like these are

nice, the leather and stuff, I like the design, they were really nice

you know what with Belgium our second jersey's yellow. Now you know what to wear then!

Yeah I have four more pairs of these at the house so I can wear it in the next game

Sounds good man. Yeah I'll do that if you play in the yellow, I don't care what they say.

I will, I promise you.

I might do that, they're really nice man.

All the best my bro, it's good to meet you.

So you really like... shit man! That game against Tottenham right when you rounded

Lloris time stood still, my heart stopped and I was like this is

my life peaking! And the ball just went...

So if you wear them for Belgium, because you kinda

owe me a goal, right? I'll give you two. You give me two? Promise!

So there you have it my friends, some pretty inspiring words from the big man

himself but what was the best part of the video? For me it was pretty obvious

but let me know what you think in the comment section right down below now

after that you can go gear up in the Power Up pack from Puma like Romelu Lukaku

by clicking the link right over there you should also go subscribe to our channel

with the notifications on to see all our latest videos by clicking over

there and finally go see more interviews with some of the best players in the world

by clicking right down there with that said guys I'm signing off cheerio