Bolasie has provided four assists for his Everton team-mate Lukaku already this season. PHOTO/Daily Mail
LIVERPOOL, United kingdom, Nov 2- Yannick Bolasie and Romelu Lukaku are using a little-known African language to pull the wool over the eyes of Premier League defenders.
Bolasie has provided four assists for his Everton team-mate so far this season, making the duo the most prolific partnership in the Premier League, with their contributions helping the Toffees into sixth place with 10 games played.
But silky wing play and clinical finishing are not the only ingredients in this success story. As Bolasie revealed, a shared mother tongue has played a major part.
“We are both very proud of our heritage,” Bolasie told the Liverpool Echo.
“It really helps when we talk in our language, Lingala, and I know his cousin, who plays with me for DR Congo. We speak Lingala on the pitch. There aren’t too many defenders in the league who speak it, so that gives us a little bit of an advantage. It’s particularly useful because it’s quick.”
Lukaku and Bolasie have formed a formidable strike partnership using Lingala to communicate. PHOTO/Daily Mail
Lingala is spoken across north west DR Congo, Angola and the Central African Republic.
Between 10 and 15mn people are believed to be fluent in the Bantu language, which incorporates elements of England, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
First logged by missionaries in the late 19th century, it has four variations – standard, spoken, Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
Lingala has become the language of choice for law enforcement, politicians, media and academics in the region.
The Chelsea backline might think about investing in a phrasebook ahead of their weekend clash with the Toffees, if they want to enhance their chances of keeping the Bolasie-Lukaku juggernaut quiet.
-By Daily Mail-
