为你读书：《卢卡库：我有些话要说（连载4）》
导读
罗梅卢·卢卡库（Romelu Lukaku），这位比利时前锋是世界足坛最受关注的球星之一，却有着很多不为人知的过去。在2018世界杯开赛前，他在The Players’Tribune（《球星看台》）上撰文I've Got Some Things to Say，回忆自己过去的时光与成长的历程。
文章连载
I was late by 11 days.
我晚了11天。
May 24, 2009.
2009年5月24日。
The playoff final. Anderlecht vs. Standard Liège.
季后赛决赛，安德莱赫特VS标准列日。
That was the craziest day of my life. But we have to back up for a minute. Because at the start of the season, I was barely playing for the Anderlecht U-19s. The coach had me coming off the bench. I’m like, “How the hell am I going to sign a pro contract on my 16th birthday if I’m still on the bench for the U-19s?”
那是我一生中最疯狂的日子,但我们先再往前看一点。因为在赛季开始的时候，我只是在安德莱赫特U19效力，并且教练把我安排在了替补席。我想，“如果我一直在U19的替补席上，我究竟要如何在我16岁那天签一份职业合同?”
So I made a bet with our coach.
于是我跟教练打了一个赌。
I told him, “I’ll guarantee you something. If you actually play me, I’m going to score 25 goals by December.”
我跟他说：“我向你保证，如果你使用我，我会在12月之前打进25个进球。”
He laughed. He literally laughed at me.
教练笑了，他真的对着我在笑。
I said, “Let’s make a bet then.”
我说：“让我们打个赌吧。”
He said, “O.K., but if you don’t score 25 by December, you’re going to the bench.”
他说：“好，但如果你12月之前进不了25球，你就要回到替补席。”
I said, “Fine, but if I win, you’re going to clean all the minivans that take the players home from training.”
我说：“好，但如果我赢了，你要把所有接送球员往返家和训练场的小巴清洗干净。”
He said, “O.K., it’s a deal.”
他说：“好，成交。”
I said, “And one more thing. You have to make pancakes for us every day.”
我说：“还有一件事，你要每天给我们煎薄饼。”
He said, “O.K., fine.”
他说：“好。”
That was the dumbest bet that man ever made.
那可能是男人间最傻的赌注了。
I had 25 by November. We were eating pancakes before Christmas, bro.
我在12月之前进了25球，我们在圣诞节之前吃上了薄饼。
Let that be a lesson. You don’t play around with a boy who’s hungry!
这是一个教训：你不能和一个饿着肚皮的男孩开玩笑！
I signed my pro contract with Anderlecht on my birthday, May 13. Went straight out and bought the new FIFA and a cable package. It was already the end of the season, so I was at home chilling. But the Belgian league was crazy that year, because Anderlecht and Standard Liege had finished tied on points. So there was a two-leg playoff to decide the title.
5月13日，在我生日那天，我跟安德莱赫特签了我的第一份职业合同。我跑到街道上，买了新的FIFA游戏和电线盒，当时赛季已经结束了，所以我在家担忧着。但是当年的比利时联赛太疯狂了，因为安德莱赫特和标准列日在赛季结束时积分打平，所以将会进行一个两回合的季后赛来决定冠军归属。
During the first leg, I’m at home watching on TV like a fan.
第一回合的比赛，我在家像一个球迷一样看球。
Then the day before the second leg, I get a phone call from the coach of the reserves.
第二回合比赛的前一天，我接到了预备队教练的电话。
“Hello?”
“你好？”
“Hello, Rom. What are you doing?”
“你好，罗梅乌，你在干什么？”
“About to go play football in the park.”
“准备去公园踢足球。”
“No, no, no, no, no. Pack your bags. Right now.”
“不不不不，收拾你的行李，赶紧的！”
“What? What did I do?”
“什么？我做了什么？”
“No, no, no. You need to get to the stadium right now. The first team wants you now.”
“不，你需要马上到体育场，一线队现在需要你。”
“Yo …. What?! Me?!”
“什么？！我？！”
“Yeah, you. Come now.”
“是的，是你，现在过来吧。”
I literallysprinted into my dad’s bedroom and was like, “Yo! Get your ass up right now! We gotta go, man!”
我马上冲进我父亲的房间，“哟爸爸！快点起床，我现在要出发了。”
He’s like, “Huh? What? Go where?”
他当时的反应是：“啊？什么？去哪里？”
I’m like, “ANDERLECHT, MAN.”
我说：“安德莱赫特！”
