When two of Belgium's greatest-ever players finally united at Napoli, the football world expected fireworks. Instead, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku's much-hyped club partnership fizzled out after just six shared minutes on the pitch.
Yet here they are again, named together in Belgium's World Cup squad for the fourth consecutive tournament. It's a testament to their enduring quality—and a reminder that some connections transcend club form.
De Bruyne and Lukaku have been friends and international teammates for 16 years, first linking up for Belgium in a friendly against Finland back in August 2010. Lukaku was just 17 then; De Bruyne, 19. Since that debut, they've shared the pitch 82 times for the Red Devils, combining for 18 goals. De Bruyne has set up Lukaku 13 times, while the striker has returned the favor five times. It's a partnership built on trust, timing, and an almost telepathic understanding.
The dream of finally playing together at club level seemed to come true last summer when Napoli—already home to Lukaku—added De Bruyne to their ranks. It was the reunion Chelsea couldn't pull off in 2013. Finally, the two would light up Serie A together.
But football, as always, had other plans. Injuries struck both men between August and October: Lukaku with a right quadriceps issue, De Bruyne with a left biceps femoris problem. Their shared Napoli experience was reduced to a single cameo appearance.
That moment came on March 6 against Torino. De Bruyne entered in the 79th minute, Lukaku followed five minutes later. Six minutes of football together in a Napoli shirt. That was it. All the anticipation, all the promise, condensed into 360 seconds.
Now, as the World Cup approaches, both players arrive carrying heavy burdens. Lukaku has played just 64 minutes of football this season, having also dealt with the death of his father and a reported falling-out with coach Antonio Conte. De Bruyne, meanwhile, is coming off a second operation on the same muscle in just over two years.
Between them, they have 68 years of age and enough shared football history to fill a career. For two players who have given so much to the game, this summer in America may well be their final World Cup together. And despite everything—the injuries, the setbacks, the six minutes that never became more—it's hard to bet against them making it count.