COLOMBIA v ENGLAND RASH IS A SMASH HIT
Lukaku salutes rising star Rom is perfect team player
ROMELU LUKAKU claims Marcus Rashford is the most complete young centre-forward in football.
And the Belgian believes his Manchester United strike partner will become a huge world star in the next two years.
Even though he played in the bulk of United’s games last season, Rashford wants more starts instead of coming off the bench after recently declaring he sees his best position as the main front man operating centrally at Old Trafford.
Ironically, that is Lukaku’s role as Mourinho’s first choice to lead the line following his £75million move from Everton a year ago.
Embrace
But Lukaku (above) knows ultimately Rashford could be a rival for the No.9 job after saluting the ability and potential of his Premier League team-mate.
The pair shared an embrace and a chat at half-time in Belgium’s 1-0 Group G win over England in Kaliningrad.
And Lukaku reveals he is helping the 20-year-old become a better player.
He said: “Of course, Marcus is already a top player. He is basically my working partner at United. We do everything together and I try to help him as much as I can.
“He has a lot of qualities and for me he is maybe the most complete No.9. He can do everything. And in the next two or three years, you will see the best of Marcus because he can do everything a footballer needs to do. “For me, I just try to help him in this process and hopefully along the way we can achieve great things together for United.” Lukaku did not figure against England, with Belgian boss Roberto Martinez resting him along with other big guns Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne for tomorrow’s clash with Japan in Rostov. He declared himself fit to face the Three Lions despite a slight ankle injury – but had no problem being benched. Now Lukaku will resume his quest for more goals having scored four already in the group stage – one less than England skipper Harry Kane.
But he insists he is not in competition with Kane in the race to be this World Cup’s top scorer.
“For me it is not about the race for the Golden Boot,” said Lukaku. “I’m not here to talk about individuals, I’m here to talk about my team and this is a team on a mission.
“We know what we have to do. We have a mission as a team and that is the most important thing for me. I just want to help my team and improve game after game.
“We’ve been together for 10 years now. We know each other through and through and know what we’re here for.” MAROUANE FELLAINI has insisted Romelu Lukaku is the ultimate team player.
Despite being hungry for goals like any striker, Manchester United star Lukaku always puts his Belgium team-mates first.
That’s why Fellaini (left), fresh from signing a new three-year contract to stay at Old Trafford, believes Lukaku is worth his weight in gold to any side. “Everyone is talking about the goals Romelu and Harry Kane have scored in Russia,” said Fellaini. “Romelu is like Kane – he wants to score goals every time he goes on the pitch.
“But Romelu also helps the team with the way he plays, just like at United. He gives everything for the team.”