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Romelu Lukaku has made a striking revelation, stating that the Belgium players had collectively advocated for Thierry Henry to be appointed as head coach following Roberto Martinez’s departure. The Napoli striker was outspoken in his criticism of the prior setup, asserting that the tactical direction under former coach Domenico Tedesco was flawed from the outset.

The push for Thierry Henry

Offering insight into the behind-the-scenes discussions within the Belgian national camp, Lukaku confirmed that senior players had a clear preference for Henry as Martinez’s successor after the 2022 World Cup. Despite Domenico Tedesco eventually taking over, the players had strongly voiced support for the ex-Arsenal and France star, who had previously been assistant coach for Belgium during their 2018 and 2022 World Cup campaigns.

Lukaku explained that the team wanted a leader who would challenge them and uphold the high standards set during their peak years as one of the world’s top-ranked teams. “We were spoken to in Qatar, after the draw against Croatia [which eliminated Belgium from the group stage]. Everyone was saying: ‘Henry is the one we need.’ He was going to hold us accountable for our mistakes. When you aim for the top, you don’t want people constantly stroking your ego,” the striker told La Dernière Heure.

Struggles at Euro 2024

Belgium’s elimination by France in the Euro 2024 round of 16 came as a bitter blow after a lacklustre group stage that included a goalless draw with Ukraine. Lukaku suggested that the team sensed early on that Tedesco’s tactical setup was unsuited to the competition, fostering a feeling of impending failure throughout the campaign in Germany.

“There was a tactical plan that just wasn’t going to work. As a player, you can feel that. Ask Kev [De Bruyne]. You tell yourself: this isn’t going to work out,” Lukaku admitted. “Many of the young players in our squad knew it too, but they kept quiet for fear of being benched. That created a lot of frustration.”

Life after Roberto Martinez

Lukaku was particularly candid about the drastic shift in mindset and atmosphere following the end of the Martinez era. Under the Spanish coach, Belgium’s golden generation had enjoyed sustained success and high-scoring performances, including a memorable run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. Lukaku feels that confidence and attacking flair have been lost since then, and he lamented the change in locker room spirit before matches.

“Under Roberto Martinez, before a match we would walk into the dressing room asking: how many goals are we going to score today? I promise you, that’s exactly what we used to say,” Lukaku recalled. “Martinez would show us where the spaces would open up, and we’d go on to win 3-0, 5-0, 8-1. Fast, direct, and clinical. We played like that for five years straight. And then suddenly, everything was wiped clean.”

Doubts over Tedesco’s approach

The forward also described the initial unease that surrounded Tedesco’s appointment. He revealed that players had begun conducting their own checks on the coach, uncovering concerns even before his first training session. Lukaku added that the abrupt removal of veteran players only deepened the uncertainty within the squad.

“When a new manager comes in and we, the players, don’t know him, we start looking for information. That’s how it works — we make calls, we find things out. There were doubts right from the beginning,” Lukaku said. Reflecting on the changes, he continued: “At the first international break [under Tedesco], Thibaut [Courtois] and I looked around and saw that almost no one from the old team remained. It was a shock. Was that really the right way to do things?”