Premier League Romelu Lukaku has a lot to thank ex-team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. That says the striker on the official website of Manchester United. One trainingsduel changed everything. “He opened my eyes.”

the Two men were not often together in the rush hour in the English class. Ibrahimovic jogged in the season 2017/2018, after all, from one injury into the other, while Big Rom’ in the summer of 2017 arrived at Old Trafford. Yet Lukaku to his own words, owe a lot to his ex-team mate. “Zlatan told me fantastic stories. His stories about his time at Inter, AC Milan, Barcelona, and itself Ajax were beautiful. Him ranting to see go was always great. So you saw how competitive he was,” says the Red Devil today on the website of Man United.

Just that winning mentality has Lukaku through one specific trainingsduel acquired. “We were both strikers, so Zlatan and I were in training will never be part of the same team. I remember a moment in which the ball between us. Zlatan went in with full surrender in the duel, and hit me hard. I knew then that he would always fight for his goals, in which situation he resides, and he also invariably as the winner of that showdown with fellow wants to come.”

“currently in training and my mentality changed. He opened my eyes and taught me that you always should be focused and hard work. But also that having fun is important, because with Ibrahimovic is always a laugh.”