- Lukaku opens up on goal celebration that helped Napoli win the league
- Stated it was in response to the backlash he and Conte received
- Belgian scored 14 goals in the league
Lukaku and Conte reunited to fire Napoli to their second Serie A title in three seasons, with the towering Belgian striker finding the back of the net on the final matchday against Cagliari which helped his side beat Inter to the league. Lukaku explained the reason why he celebrated so aggressively, stating that everyone had written him and Antonio Conte off.
It was poetic in a way, as both Lukaku and Conte were at Inter when they won the league at the end of the 2020-21 season. Then, Lukaku marked a sensational return to Chelsea, where things didn’t pan out as he might have expected, while Conte took up the Spurs coaching job. Lukaku was subject to a lot of criticism after leaving Inter in 2021, almost to the point where he was ridiculed by large sections of the media. On the other hand, Conte was no longer considered an elite coach following his distasteful departure from Spurs in 2023. The duo share an unbreakable bond, as evidenced by Lukaku pleading his head coach to not leave Napoli at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Napoli won the Serie A title in the final game of the season. Lukaku’s second half goal doubled the lead given to them by Scott McTominay, ensuring they finished a point above Inter in the table. Speaking in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport Lukaku was asked about his “angry, liberating celebration” in the decisive game. The 32-year-old replied: “There was a bit of technique involved too, I did a nutmeg (laughs). It was furious because everyone had written me off, they had given up on me for three years. Then, in the end, winning like that, with the coach who had also been written off after Tottenham, was wonderful.”
He added: “People had doubts about me, but I was convinced that we would do something special.” n
The Partenopei will begin their Serie A title defence on August 23, when they take on Sassuolo away from home.
