Some players start games. Romelu Lukaku ends them, and apparently makes history while doing it.
The 33-year-old Belgian striker has become the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score as a substitute in four different matches, a record he sealed during Belgium’s 4-1 demolition of co-host USA on July 6. Lukaku entered the match in the 67th minute, took exactly one shot, and buried it in the 93rd minute.
Belgium advance to the quarterfinals, where they face Spain. Lukaku’s goal capped a performance that also featured two goals from Charles De Ketelaere.
The substitute who keeps rewriting the record books
Lukaku has produced a goal or assist in just 121 minutes of total playtime during the 2026 World Cup. For context, 121 minutes is roughly two full halves of football.
