Dries Mertens has gone on record as saying he wants to “score lots of goals” at the World Cup, though not precisely for the reason you might imagine.
While a steady flow of goals in likely to propel Belgium through the tournament, the 31-year-old forward also has one eye of helping his mates win free televisions.
This is because Belgian electrical retailers Krëfel have offered full refunds on televisions if the Red Devils manage to amass 16 goals during their run out in Russia.
Should the total be reached, fans who purchased a television from Krëfel will be given their money back (and allowed to keep the TV, obviously) and Mertens is keen to do his mates a favour in that regard.
My friends have bought televisions, so I am thinking about that.
With the qualities of Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard, we can create a great deal of danger.
We are doing really well. We like to score a lot of goals.
Belgium currently have nine goals in their ‘F’ column, thanks largely to their 5-2 demolition of Tunisia in the group stages.
They face Japan in the last 16 in Rostov on Monday evening knowing that a mere seven-goal blitz will see Mertens’ mates receive their windfall.
The stakes have never been so high.