In a recent interview with Le Parisien (h/t MARCA), Robert Lewandowski opened up about missing out on the Ballon d’Or, most notably in 2020 and 2021.
The forward also talked about Kylian Mbappe and his relationship with the Frenchman over the years.
Lewandowski on 2020 Ballon d’Or
Reflecting on one of the very few things he has missed out on during his illustrious career, Lewandowski pointed out the Ballon d’Or and the time when he came close to winning it in 2021. The Pole even admitted that he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or in 2020.
“In 2021, Lionel Messi surpassed me, and the 2020 edition was cancelled. I think I deserved to win that season. That’s what I’m sorry,” Lewandowski said.
“If you win everything with the team, if you score so many very important goals, you can think like that. You work to achieve such distinction throughout your career,” he added.
Lewandowski admitted that he does regret missing out on the Ballon d’Or title in 2020, adding, “The decision to cancel it in 2020 was a disappointment, but I don’t want to think about things that are out of my control.”
Lewandowski’s relationship with Mbappe
Lewandowski went on to talk about Mbappe. In the past, the forward had said that the Frenchman’s potential move to Real Madrid wouldn’t frighten him.
This time around, the Pole opened up about his personal relationship with Mbappe. The two players most recently locked horns in the Champions League quarterfinal, where PSG secured a win over Barcelona.
“In the first game, we were incredible and then, if you compare yourself with a team and you lose because the opponent is better, you can accept it. But in this game it is very difficult to compare yourself when these types of mistakes are made to this level,” Lewandowski said.
“PSG is now in the semi-finals and has a good chance of being in the final,” the Pole acknowledged.
Having lost the first leg 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund, PSG welcome the German giants in the second leg tomorrow, with the French champions requiring a win of at least two-goal margin.
When asked about the road ahead for PSG without Mbappe, Lewandowski admitted that the team could still pose a threat in Europe.
“I think PSG has the future ahead of it, Even if Kylian leaves, this club will still be in the Champions League and will always be dangerous for all teams in Europe,” he said.
Both Mbappe and Lewandowski are slated to face each other in the upcoming European Championship as Poland and France have been drawn into the same group.
Lewandowski pointed out he will have a potential advantage as the game will be held in Dortmund, but reiterated that France are the clear favourite.
“The game will be in Dortmund. I know everything about their stadium after my years playing for Borussia. But France is the favourite to win the Euro Cup,” Lewandowski said.
“They have Kylian, who is intelligent as a player, but also as a person. I felt it since the first time I saw him,” he added.
“There is still work to do,” assumes Lewandowski, who views Thierry Henry as a role model. “He was the perfect attacker.”
Looking back at his Barcelona career so far, Lewandowski did show disappointment in not scoring at the Bernabeu, although he did point out that he scored there “as a Bayern Munich player.”
