Lukaku subjected to racist abuse on the internet after Champions League final

Romelu Lukaku has been the victim of hideous abuse on Instagram (Picture: Getty Images)

Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian international striker for Inter Milan, was subjected to a wave of racist abuse on social media after his team's 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday evening in Istanbul.

Lukaku, who is on loan from Chelsea, came on as a substitute in the 57th minute and had a dangerous opportunity to equalize in the final minutes, but City goalkeeper Ederson saved the situation brilliantly.

Lukaku has nine million followers on his Instagram account, where he has received multiple abuses, but many of his other followers have condemned these actions.

Romelu Lukaku Instagram

This is not the first time Lukaku has been subjected to such abuses, as racist insults against the Belgian striker caused a scandal in Italy last season during a match against Juventus in Turin in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup, where Lukaku was verbally attacked by fans of the opposing team inside the stadium, before the yellow card he received for celebrating his goal was canceled.

Following the racist abuse he received on social media after the UEFA Champions League final, Romelu Lukaku took to Instagram to express his disappointment. He wrote, "History repeats… Been through it in 2019… and 2023 again. I hope the league really takes actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone…"

While many people showed their support for Lukaku and spoke out against the racist comments on Saturday night, there were still shocking posts that surfaced. 

Lukaku spoke to The Mirror about the ongoing problem of racism in football and stated that changes need to be made at the highest levels of clubs, countries, and the game itself, as has been done in Belgium.

Romelu Lukaku is exposed to racist comments on social media after the Champions League final

He emphasized the need for diversity in positions of power, saying, "That’s where you need to start, that’s where we need to have diversity. People of colour, put them in the top of every boardroom. And that’s when the change will start."

Lukaku also praised the Belgian federation for their efforts to include people of colour and different sexualities in positions of power, stating that this would help address any situation of discrimination faster. He believes that putting people of different colours in positions of power would lead to a more inclusive and just football community.