Romelu Lukaku’s mum had to take his birth certificate to matches to prove the youngster’s age
Back home in Belgium the future Man Utd hitman had trouble convincing people he was playing in the correct age group
ROMELU LUKAKU'S mum had to take his birth certificate to matches to prove the youngster's age.
Lukaku has always been an imposing figure.
And back home in Belgium he had trouble convincing some people he was playing in the correct age group.
The 24-year-old Manchester United hitman started banging in the goals when he was 12.
But many an opponent was convinced he was a lot older.
His agent Mino Raiola told Expressen: "I was talking to his mother.
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"She always ended up with other parents who did not think he was 12 or 14 years old.
"It was always a fuss that he scored three or four goals.
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"He was bigger and physically strong, yes. But they screamed that it was not in the right age.
"So she took the birth certificate.
"He was born in Belgium, but they spread false reports he been born in Africa.
"'Here it is', she said."
Lukaku has 16 goals for club and country this season but has failed to net for United in his last three games.
And last week he came out fighting at Gary Neville's suggestion that he's a flat-track bully.
But United legend Gary Neville said he had "no influence" at Anfield, where Lukaku missed a clear-cut chance in front of the Kop.
Lukaku hit back: "A lot of strikers in the league miss bigger chances than me.
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“People will always say this and that but my record in the Premier League is pretty good."
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