He was stripped from it last year. France Football said that the influence of the pandemic was too great to award the Ballon d’Or to anyone. But that did not stop him from continuing with great performances week in week out and the phenomenal Polish striker should get it this year. Truth be told – he did not win the Champions League like he did in the summer of 2020, nor did he record great results with the national team, but his statistics rank him among the favorites.Check this out: Robert Lewandowski – 40 games – 50 goals in 2021.”When asked what my chances are to get Ballon d’Or, my achievements speak for themselves”, says Bayern’s forward full of confidence, aware that he was deprived of getting the accolade last year. “The last two seasons have been great. I am proud to have the opportunity to win the Golden Ball at all.If you look at what I did, not only this season, but also the previous one, when the ceremony was canceled: I won a lot of trophies, scored a lot of goals, I finally lifted the Champions League trophy, we were the best in the European Super Cup, as well as at the Club World Cup. In addition, I broke Gerd Muller’s record for the number of goals in one Bundesliga season.Impressive. That is why I am proud and happy. Everyone saw what I did and that’s how I want to continue.”##NAJAVA_MECA_5890988##In the interview for the Spanish Marca, he does not want to deal with assumption. When asked whether fate owes a player of his caliber the most valuable individual award in the world of football, he replied cautiously, but confidently.”I really do not know. The fact that I have a chance to win the Golden Ball is immense. I have shown that it does not matter where you are from, I have proved that despite a difficult start to your career, you can be successful. To reach the very top.”Lewa admitted that he could not fall asleep the night before the match against Augsburg in May this year – the match in which he scored for the 41st time in one Bundesliga season.”To be honest – no, I couldn’t. Seven days before the game, I heard that the opportunity is there for me to break Gerd Muller’s record. Until then, I did not understand the importance of such an achievement, not only within the Bundesliga, but football in general.Ballon d’Or nominees list leaked: Lewa, the Blues quintet and lots of bystanders alongsideI tried to score several times, I thought how psychologically demanding it was, because everyone was talking about it. I knew I was close to history, it was hard for me when the ball didn’t want to go in, but when I finally scored in the final seconds of the match, I said to myself: “This is like a Hollywood movie.” I was proud of myself, but also of my teammates, because they helped me overcome a record of such a great player like Gerd Muller.Honestly, I still measure the importance of the record I set, but I understand what it means to people, since the previous record lasted for 50 years.”Throughout his career, Lewa has scored 550 times, and there are still those who do not appreciate him enough or who put the spotlight on other players.”I don’t need media attention to feel better. I am happy for myself, satisfied with what I do, I don’t do any of this to show off, I don’t work for anyone else, at least not for journalists.We are all human beings, we have aour own private lives. It is clear to me that the people are mostly interested in those who show off or do unusual things, however, I want them to talk about me because of my performances on the pitch, because of the goals and trophies.”Their player had just one good season and they want him to win ballon d’or, what about lewandowski that have been consistent in every season. pic.twitter.com/3nay4T33so— olasunkanmi (@akeemaroyewun35) October 12, 2021 In August, he turned 33, and the way he lives and how much the science of recovery extended the careers of modern athletes, it is logical to assume that Robert will play at least three or four more seasons. But where does he see himself in ten seasons?”Already at the age of 27, I started preparing for life after my football career. At this point I can’t tell you whether I will be a coach or not.Maybe I don’t want to deal with that at this time, maybe two or three years after I retire – I might miss it. I am preparing – I will choose the best option, the one that makes me happy.”For the great achievements, especially those from recent years, the credit goes to his agility to have an open mind.”It’s all because I’m a player adaptable to every tactic, every coach, every team. I want to be a modern striker, able to shoot with my right, with my left, with my head, finish counterattacks or be a danger to a rival who defends in a low zone and does not leave much space. I have always thought that I could be diverse, both in the present and in the future. I want to be a striker who can do everything, not just receive the ball or run counterattacks.”WCQ2022: Germany reach the World Cup already, other big ‘names’ have to be patientIf he could use a time machine and go back to his teens, what would Lewa advise a younger self?”Be 100 percent sure of yourself. Which is all the more difficult if you come from a country like mine, which did not have a large number of quality football players at the international level. Show everyone that it doesn’t matter where you are from, but how good you are. That thought has always been in my head.”Even when Lech Poznan, his former club, did not believe in him. Everything after that is history – titles with Borussia Dortmund and moving to the biggest team in Germany.”Transfer to Bayern is a step forward in my career. I remember the hard training sessions with Philipp Lahm, Frank Ribery, Arjen Robben, Xabi Alonnso, Manuel Neuer or Thomas Muller.I wanted to study, progress, master the steps to the top. I am especially glad how we played and how we won the Champions League without defeat, no one before us managed that. “##NAJAVA_MECA_5891324##There are others whose help Lewandowski will never forget – Polish goal scorer can’t have enough praises for Pep Guardiola and his influence.”He taught me to look at football from a different perspective. To understand it based on movement and tactics. I look at the game in a completely different way after working with Guardiola, because of that point of view, I understand who made a mistake, who could have done better and how to always be at least one step ahead of the opponent.He explained it to me: “I can’t help you be a better striker, because you are very good, but I can help the team bring the ball to the zone where you know what to do with it.”He doesn’t know where he will play next summer. Or he does, but hides it skillfully.”I do not really think about it. This competitive year has just intensified, and I still have two years left on my contract with Bayern.”Throwback to when Robert Lewandowski made his Poland debut….. as a right-back. 🤯🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/1JHNEYi2mv— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) October 11, 2021 This year, Bayern are, as always, striving to win another Champions League trophy.”Every year we are among the favourites. Just like some other clubs. The most important thing is how we will look in March, April and May “, says Lewandowski, adding that the massive expectations of the public are not a problem for him.”You have to come to terms with the pressure, to understand that it is not a burden for you – it is motivation.Of course, the expectations are high, and the pressure is huge, but for Bayern footballer, that should be the motivation. You live with that. That’s a must if you want to be on top. Otherwise, it must be boring to play football without pressure and high expectations.”
