By Chalien Dantes 

Romelu Lukaku couldn’t hold back the tears after scoring his first goal of the season, a fantastic 96th-minute winner for Napoli against Hellas Verona.

Teammates swarmed him in celebration, but the moment was deeply personal, coming months after the death of his father, Roger, in September.

The Belgian striker has endured a challenging season, dealing with grief, a long-term hamstring injury, and a distressing extortion case over his father’s funeral. He described soccer as a lifeline, giving him strength to push forward for his daughters, his brother, and the club that has supported him through tough times.

Lukaku has made just six appearances this season, all off the bench, but showed flashes of the form that helped Napoli lift Serie A last year. In celebration, he lifted his shirt to wipe away tears, earning a booking, but the emotion was unmistakable.

Napoli, sitting third in Serie A and 14 points behind leaders Inter Milan, are now focused on securing a spot in next season’s Champions League after being eliminated from both the tournament and the Coppa Italia. They did, however, lift the Supercoppa Italiana in December, giving Lukaku and his teammates at least one trophy this season.