Being ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo is something that doesn’t happen often, proclaims Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku joined Chelsea for his second spell at the club this summer after joining the London club a decade ago as one of the hottest teenage prospects in European football. But he struggled to get game-time in his first spell and thus left for spells at Everton, Manchester United, and Inter as he drastically improved his game and turned into one of the most lethal finishers in the game. So much so that the Blues splurged £97.5 million to bring him back as they looked to rely on a steady supply of goals this season.

But the former Inter star has failed to build on his spectacular performances in the 2020-21 season at the Italian club where he scored 24 goals and registered 10 assists in Serie A. Lukaku was awarded the 2020/21 Serie A Player of the Year award as he finished ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who represented Juventus last season, which has come as a shock to many. The Belgian expressed his gratitude for his peers that voted for him and admitted that he sees Ronaldo as an idol.

"The club always backed us and so did the fans who I want to thank. Being ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo is something that doesn’t happen every day. To me, he is one of the best three players in football history. He also brought me to a different level because he does great things,” Lukaku told AIC.

“I am really happy to be included in the Serie A top XI for last season. I want to thank all those who voted for me and the team that helped me a lot, the coach and his staff. It’s an honour to have been named best player of the season. It’s something that I could not achieve without the help of the team,” he added.