Super Bowl Champion Leonard Fournette “Can’t Go Outside” After His World Cup Doppleganger Buried The USMNT
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Leonard Fournette has turned the FIFA World Cup into one of the funniest running jokes on social media. The former NFL running back has spent Belgium’s tournament run pretending to be Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, thanks to their striking resemblance.
Fournette started the joke after Belgium’s 5-1 group stage win over New Zealand. He posted a photo of Lukaku on Instagram and wrote, “Played in my first World Cup enjoying this atmosphere,” while tagging the Belgium star. Lukaku joined the fun and responded in the comments.
The joke continued after Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 in the Round of 32. Lukaku scored the opening goal, and Fournette again shared a photo of him on Instagram. This time, he joked, “Scored another goal today supa blessed.” Lukaku once again played along with the post.
Fournette Drops The Joke After Belgium Beats US
The lighthearted bit took a different turn when Belgium faced the United States men’s national team in the Round of 16. Belgium cruised to a 4-1 win, and Lukaku added the team’s final goal late in the match.
After the game, Fournette stepped away from the joke for the first time. Instead of pretending to be Lukaku, he congratulated the Belgian striker directly.
“I can’t walk outside now because of this,” Fournette wrote on Instagram before adding, “congratulations my brother.”
The match also attracted attention because several Belgian players copied President Donald Trump’s signature dance after the win. The game came after controversy over FIFA allowing United States striker Folarin Balogun to play even though he had received a red card in the previous match.
Fournette and Lukaku also have something in common off the field. Both were once represented by Roc Nation Sports, the sports agency founded by Jay-Z, before leaving in 2023.
Lukaku came on as a substitute in the 66th minute after Charles De Ketelaere scored two first-half goals. Lukaku then scored in stoppage time to seal the win. It was his 93rd goal for his country.
Belgium will now face Spain, the Euro champions, in the World Cup quarterfinals in Los Angeles on July 10. The United States, meanwhile, is heading home with questions about the team’s future and whether manager Mauricio Pochettino will remain in charge.
