Roger Lukaku

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Wikipedia

Roger Lukaku
Lukaku with Seraing in 1994
Personal information
Full name Roger Menama Lukaku
Date of birth (1967-06-06)6 June 1967
Place of birth Kinshasa, Zaire (now DR Congo)
Date of death 28 September 2025(2025-09-28) (aged 58)
Place of death Kinshasa, DR Congo
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986 Vita Club
1987–1990 Africa Sports
1990–1993 Boom 43 (11)
1993–1995 Seraing 60 (27)
1995–1996 Germinal Ekeren 28 (3)
1996–1997 Gençlerbirliği 30 (4)
1997–1998 Mechelen 17 (4)
1998–1999 Oostende 20 (2)
International career
1990–1996 Zaire 13 (6)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Roger Menama Lukaku (6 June 1967 – 28 September 2025) was a Congolese footballer who played as a forward. Throughout his career, he played for KV Oostende, KV Mechelen and Germinal Ekeren. He is the father of footballers Romelu Lukaku and Jordan Lukaku.[2]

Early life

Roger Lukaku was born in Zaire on 6 June 1967. He started out playing football for Vita Sports, a local club, before moving to Africa Sports d'Abidjan.[3]

Club career

In 1990, at the age of 23, Roger Lukaku began his career in Belgium. His first club was Belgian Second Division club FC Boom. With this club he achieved promotion to the Belgian First Division in 1992. The club was relegated in 1993 and Lukaku moved to RFC Seraing. With RFC Seraing he finished third in the Belgian First Division. He stayed with RFC Seraing for two seasons before moving to Germinal Ekeren. Again his club finished in third place. In 1996, he played for Turkish side Gençlerbirliği but he returned to Belgium after only one season to play for KV Mechelen. In 1998, he changed club and played for Belgian First Division side KV Oostende.[1][4]

After the relegation of the club in 1999 the 32-year-old stopped playing professional football. He continued to play in lower divisions for RJS Ath-Maffle, KFC Wintam and in 2006 for KGR Katelijne where he finished his playing career in 2007.[1]

International career

Lukaku played for the Zaire national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds.[5] He also participated at the 1994[6] and 1996 African Cup of Nations[7] finals. In total he scored 6 goals in 13 matches.[1]

Personal life and death

After retiring, he and his wife Adolphine fell into poverty. He was the father of professional footballers Romelu Lukaku and Jordan Lukaku and uncle of Boli Bolingoli.[8]

He was arrested on 29 March 2013 after being sentenced in absentia to 15 months in prison for assaulting his girlfriend on two occasions in February 2011 and January 2012. He requested provisional release, because he did not receive a court notification and subsequently could not defend himself in court. This was granted and he was released from prison after eleven days. He was given a new trial on 24 June 2013, where he was sentenced to 120 hours of community service.[9][10][11]

Lukaku died on 28 September 2025, at the age of 58.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Roger Lukaku at National-Football-Teams.com
  2. ↑ "'Every game I ever played was a Final': Romelu Lukaku and his moving tale of childhood struggles". Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  3. ↑ "Six star footballers with journeymen pro parents: Pele, Lukaku, Hazard". 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "LUKAKU MENAMA". TFF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  5. ↑ Roger Lukaku – FIFA competition record (archived)
  6. ↑ Courtney, Barrie (15 August 2005). "African Nations Cup 1994 – Final Tournament Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Courtney, Barrie (18 March 2002). "African Nations Cup 1996 – Final Tournament Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Boli Bolingoli speaks after permanent Celtic exit; Mechelen explain signing to supporters". 12 July 2022. Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Le tribunal libère Roger Lukaku". 7sur7.be. 8 April 2013. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "Rechtbank laat Roger Lukaku vrij, parket niet in beroep". hln.be. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "Roger Lukaku veroordeeld tot werkstraf voor mishandeling minnares". gva.be. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  12. ↑ Roger Lukaku, père de Romelu et Jordan, est décédé: “Merci pour tout, papa” (in French)