‘I let my country down’ - Romelu Lukaku opens up on Belgium’s World Cup exit as Thierry Henry admits he texted Inter forward ‘every day for two weeks’

• Belgium disappointed at World Cup
• Lukaku takes blame for poor showing
• Henry helped striker overcome disappointment

WHAT HAPPENED? Belgium and Lukaku disappointed in Qatar, going out in the group stages, as the country's so-called golden generation failed to impress. Lukaku was guilty of missing several good chances in the team's draw against Croatia, in their final group game, and says he felt he let his team down.

WHAT THEY SAID: "The World Cup was very tough for me. For the first time in 15 years playing football I went through a moment like this. I let my country down. Playing for your country is amazing and when you play at the World Cup you want to make the best of it," he told CBS Sports. "Because we all knew as players and staff that this was our last chance. And to go out in the way we did... I took everything into my mind when I left camp and I really felt down."

AND WHAT'S MORE: Thierry Henry worked with Lukaku with Belgium as the team's assistant manager and revealed how he was concerned about the striker following the team's early exit from the tournament.

"For two weeks I was worried and he knows it, because I texted him every day just asking him how he was because it wasn't easy," explained Henry. "You guys don't understand what was happening. It wasn't easy but he came out of it. And that's why I'm very proud of him. It was really far from where he is right now."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lukaku has gone on to hit form in the tail end of the season, scoring seven times and picking up five assists in his last 12 matches in all competitions for Inter. The striker could even end the season with silverware as Inter are into the finals of the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Lukaku will finish the season at Inter but is due back at Chelsea once his loan deal expires. Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has said there is a "six out of 10" chance that Lukaku could return next season, with the striker set to meet with incoming Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino for talks.