Lukaku Leads Belgium's Dramatic Comeback Against Senegal

Jul 2, 2026

54 min

Jul 2, 2026 10:31

How Lukaku played peacemaker and saviour for Belgium

## Lukaku's Dual Role

Romelu Lukaku emerged as both a peacemaker and a hero for Belgium in their World Cup clash against Senegal. The match, held in Seattle, saw Belgium trailing 2-0 until the 86th minute, with tensions rising among the players. A heated exchange between Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard was defused by Lukaku, who had entered the game as a substitute.

## The Comeback

Lukaku initiated Belgium's comeback by scoring in the 86th minute. Shortly after, Trossard provided an assist for Tielemans, who equalized with a header, sending the match into extra time. Tielemans then scored a decisive penalty in the 125th minute, securing Belgium's place in the last 16 and setting a new record for the latest goal in World Cup history.

## Historical Context

This victory marked only the second time in 11 World Cups that a team overcame a two-goal deficit in the knockout stage. Belgium had previously achieved a similar feat against Japan in 2018. Lukaku's performance added to his impressive international career, where he has scored 92 goals in 130 appearances for Belgium.

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