Belgium superstar Romelu Lukaku has admitted that a horror period in his career led to him to crying every day.
The Napoli striker was part of the Red Devils outfit that were surprisingly knocked out at the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, leading to heavy criticism from many quarters.
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The former Manchester United forward made two appearances at that global showpiece, but could not find the back of the net.
He was unable to help his side as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Morocco, and were held to a goalless draw against Croatia, a result that would halt their progression to the next round.
The attacker, speaking on the Friends of Sport podcast, has revealed the toll this took on his mental health, and explained how then-assistant coach Thierry Henry tried to help him through the tough period.
"I wanted to be there for my country because the coach and the team needed me," Lukaku explained.
"It was the first time in 29 years that football touched me. I never thought about depression, but I cried every day for weeks.
"Even on holiday, Thierry Henry called me three times a day. My mother and my children were in Milan, but I had no energy.
"I needed to be alone for a while."
Lukaku, who has not represented his national team since the 2024 UEFA European Championship earlier this year when they were knocked out by France in the round of 16, also revealed his new ambitions for his country.
"I hope to be able to rediscover the passion of playing for Belgium, that the fire burns me again for the Red Devils," he continued.
"The next goal is the World Cup in two years and now it still seems very far away.
"I really want to return to the national team with good feelings and take on a leadership role. But you can't expect me to be happy if we don't win.
"That's the only thing this group lacks: the youngsters have already come a long way but, in terms of a winning mentality, they can do much better.
"That's what I can teach them."
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