‘Clearly’: Alan Shearer says player on Chelsea books is at the World Cup despite being nowhere near fit enough

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Alan Shearer argued that Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku was selected for the World Cup despite his injury concerns.

Speaking on the BBC yesterday after Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Croatia, Shearer addressed the fitness of the fumbling striker.

Belgium crashed out of the tournament yesterday with a bit of a whimper, and supporters may have turned their blame towards Lukaku.

The 29-year-old came off the bench at half-time in the hope to save his nation’s despair and nudge them into the knockout rounds.

He was given every chance to become the hero on the day, but failed to deliver.

At least four pretty glorious opportunities were presented to him; none nestled in the back of the net.

A big loss for Lukaku at the World Cup

Due to his wasteful finishing, and some sturdy Croatian defending, Belgium barrel rolled their way to the World Cup exit door.

Had Lukaku converted just one of the clear-cut sightings of goal, things might’ve been entirely different.

Yet, for player who’s missed nearly the entire season so far whilst on loan at Inter Milan through injury, the forward’s failings cannot entirely be blamed Roberto Martinez’s inability to progress from the group stage.

“He’s only played 31 minutes since August, Gary, so he’s clearly no way near fit and that showed. It can’t all be put down to him, that elimination,” defended Shearer when discussing Lukaku’s performance yesterday.

“It will hurt him, but he’s only played 31 minutes since August. He was nowhere near ready, otherwise they would’ve brought him on a lot earlier, they might’ve even started him.

“So they were only going to put him on when they were in a desperate situation, which they were. They improved when he came on.”

Lukaku’s legs were not ready

Lukaku was a doubt to even fly out to Qatar, let alone play any minutes.

He only just returned from a two-month injury-lay off in late October before sustaining a fresh wound right before Martinez was selecting his World Cup squad.

Many an eyebrow was raised when the Belgium boss included the exiled Chelsea attacker.

His only appearance prior to the stalemate with Croatia was a nine-minute cameo in the 2-0 defeat to Morocco.

Have we now seen the end of Lukaku on the international stage?

Perhaps more importantly, was that literal missed opportunity the final nail in his Chelsea career?