ROMELU LUKAKU
Belgium Parents: Congo
Romelu’s father Roger was an international with then Zaire - now Congo. Lukaku Sr played in Belgian top division clubs KV Mechelen, Oostende. He settled in Belgium.
of Albanian and Kosovar heritage, for celebrating their goals in the 2-1 win over Serbia with a gesture which appeared to imitate the eagle displayed on Albania’s flag.
Even Germany’s Mesut Oezil — of Turkish origin — has been criticised for not singing the German anthem before kickoffs. After Germany were knocked out of this World Cup following the loss to South Korea, some fans at Kazan raised a banner reading: “Ozil and Gundogan, go and play for Erdogan ( Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan).”
So, even as success stories of migrant sons like Zidane continue to make football truly a beautiful game, it is in its failures that the claws of racism still reveal itself.
Father, Wilfried, who hails from Cameroon, is a football coach, while mother Fayza Lamari was a former handball player. Scored Missed
Fellaini was born in Morocco’s Tangier. His father was a football player in the north African country but later settled in
Belgium.
Sterling was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and spent his early years in the Caribbean islands. He emigrated to London at the age of five.
Shaqiri was born in Gjilan in Kosovo. He emigrated to Switzerland in 1992 with his parents and family.
We should have finished the job before penalties, but maybe it’s written in the stars that we have to go through the extra drama.
LUKA MODRIC, On making goalkeeper Danijel Subasic go through the ordeal of another penalty shootout Of course there is some power left for the English we will not stop, we will try to play our best game then. We are very motivated, we will give our all.
ZLATKO DALIC, Croatia coach on facing England in the semi-finals Cheryshev 31, Fernandes 115 Smolov Dzagoev Fernandes Ignashevich Kuziaev Kramaric 39, Vida 101 Brozović Kovačić Modrić Vida Rakitić On target Off target On target Off target NUMBERS
Danijel Subasic’s save made him only the third goalkeeper in history to save four penalties in World Cup shootouts. Sergio Goycochea (ARG) and Harald Schumacher (GER) are the other two keepers Croatia are the second team to win successive shootouts in the World Cup, emulating Argentina, who beat Yugoslavia and Italy in 1990.
Croatia scored their 10th goal at the World Cup, their second-best yield for a single tournament, one less than what their third-placed 1998 team scored in France.
Croatia are also the second team to advance through two back-to-back World Cup knockout games after trailing. Italy was the last team to do so in 1970.
Russia are the first host nation to have been eliminated at the quarterfinals stage of a World Cup in 32 years.