Romelu Lukaku is the reason Didier Drogba is backing Belgium to go far at the 2018 World Cup

Didier Drogba has tipped Belgium to challenge in the latter stages of the World Cup because of “perfectionist” Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku, 25, has so far enjoyed a blistering start to the quadrennial tournament in Russia after netting four goals in his opening two matches for Belgium as the Europeans progressed through the group stages with few difficulties.

Roberto Martinez’s men now face Japan in the Round of 16 and former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba believes the nation’s hopes of challenging for the prestigious trophy hinge on the form of their forward.

Drogba took Lukaku under his wing during the duo’s time in west London, and while the former believes Belgium’s main striker has the ability to lead his homeland to glory, he has further challenged his former colleague to produce more goals on the global stage.

In his BBC Sport column, Drogba wrote: “I am still challenging him, for example to get more goals for United next season than the 27 he got last season, and to get the Golden Boot at this World Cup too.

“We do not always talk about work, though. I have been to see him at Belgium’s training camp in Moscow and we did not speak seriously then.

“I know his team-mates Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini and their assistant coach Thierry Henry as well, and it was nice to speak to them all about everything and nothing.

“It was just normal chat between friends, making jokes about players and watching Croatia’s win over Argentina at the same time.

“We were just having fun and it was clear that Romelu and the Belgium squad are in a good place, not just playing well and winning games.

“That is one of the reasons I am backing them to do so well at this tournament, and with Romelu in this sort of form, they definitely have a chance.”

‘A mature Lukaku’

Lukaku failed to cement a central role at Chelsea during his three-year spell at Stamford Bridge, as he only mustered 15 appearances without scoring a single goal.

Since then, Lukaku has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most devastating strikers, and he scored 16 league goals from 33 starts for Manchester United last season.

He was the sixth highest goalscorer in the league, and his further seven assists saw him feature as United’s highest contributor last term.

Drogba has pinned this transformation down to the progress in Lukaku’s maturity and he believes Jose Mourinho’s sensed this shift in mentality when he signed the striker.

He added: “I think Jose understood when he signed him for United last year that the boy has become a man. He was mature and ready for a challenge like playing for a club like United.”

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