Vincent Kompany has revealed his Belgium team-mates laughed at Romelu Lukaku's claim that he would retire from international football after Euro 2020.
The Manchester United striker revealed that he plans to retire from Belgium duty following the continental competition in two years' time after helping his nation to third place in the World Cup earlier this year.
Lukaku only turned 25 in May so news of his desire to stop representing his country came as a shock to many fans.
It also appears the announcement caught the rest of Roberto Martinez's squad by surprise with Kompany revealing his compatriots found the decision hilarious and something he may later come to change.
‘I can hardly imagine that I’m going to have a lot of trouble convincing him to go even further,’ said Kompany, according to Metro.
‘Young players sometimes say things that they later regret. We all laughed at it.
‘When Romme stops, I will pick him up at his home in Manchester and I will take him to Brussels. He does not live too far from me.’
Lukaku, who has 43 goals in 77 games for his country, scored three times in Belgium's recent international victories over Scotland and Iceland.
He has featured at two World Cups and one European Championship, with Belgium reaching the last eight or better in all three tournaments.
The striker will now return to Manchester to prepare for this weekend's Premier League fixture with Jose Mourinho's squad. The Red Devils travel to in-form Watford on Saturday.