Romelu Lukaku is the first Everton player to named in FourFourTwo’s Best 100 Players in the World since 2013, and only the third Toffee to feature in the list's history.
The Belgian bagged 18 Premier League goals for the Toffees last term, with only Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero and Jamie Vardy managing more during 2015/16.
It proved to be a season of milestones. In November, Lukaku scored twice against Aston Villa to become only the fifth player under 23 to score 50 Premier League goals, after Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The following month, against Norwich, Lukaku became the first Everton player to score in six consecutive Premier League matches – and the first to net in seven consecutive games in all competitions since Bob Latchford 40 years previously.
TOP PREMIER LEAGUE FORWARDS
Then, in February 2016, the striker scored his 20th goal of the campaign in a 3-0 success away at Stoke, ensuring he became the first Toffee since Graeme Sharp to notch at least 20 goals in all competitions in successive campaigns for the Merseysiders.
Lukaku couldn’t translate his fine domestic form onto the international stage at last summer’s European Championship, bagging a brace in a 3-0 group-stage victory over the Republic of Ireland but failing to find the net in any of his other four appearances as the Red Devils went out to Wales in the last eight.
And after struggling to get going for Everton at the start of 2016/17, the former Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion man finally ended a 1,139-minute drought with an 11-minute hat-trick away against Sunderland, and has since gone on to register nine goals and three assists in 14 Premier League appearances.
Lukaku is joined in the list by fellow countryman Kevin De Bruyne (8), Eden Hazard (27), Toby Alderweireld (33), Thibaut Courtois (63) and Radja Nainggolan (68).
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
No Everton player has been included in the FFT100 since Leighton Baines in 2013. Marouane Fellaini is the only other Toffee to ever get the nod since 2007.
FOURFOURTWO’S BEST 100 FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD 2016
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
