At Bayern he broke record after record, no player scores more regularly. But in decisive matches, there are usually others on hand than Robert Lewandowski.
Scores another World Cup goal, but has little to do with Poland against France: striker Robert Lewandowski.
It took until the 99th minute, then Robert Lewandowski finally had his big performance. The Polish FC Barcelona striker placed the ball on the penalty spot, took a few steps back, ran in the familiar manner, tripped briefly, delayed and placed the ball safely in goal after fooling France goalie Hugo Lloris.
It was Lewandowski’s second goal at this World Cup. Only he wasn’t worth anything. It was 1:3 in the round of 16, and it was also the second attempt from the penalty point. Lloris saved the first, but the referee relented and allowed the penalty to be retaken as the Frenchman had moved off the goal line too early.
Now Robert Lewandowski is out of the tournament with Poland. For this reason alone it can be stated: It was not the World Cup of the former FC Bayern pros, the world footballer who scored his goals with the regularity of a clockwise rotation. But could this be surprising?
Lewandowski and the Polish team: This is not a success story, at least in tournaments. Scoring two goals in Qatar is remarkable in itself. He only scored one goal at the 2016 European Championship and none at all at the 2018 World Cup. In 2021, three goals at the European Championship were not enough for the round of 16.
He surpassed the 40 goal mark
In Qatar he missed a penalty in the first game against Mexico. Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal against Saudi Arabia. There were tears in his eyes after the goal. It doesn’t matter whether it was a moment of emotion or relief. The fact that the expectations placed on him are extremely high speaks in favor of the latter. No matter where he plays, the centre-forward’s robust, effective, almost clinical style of play has made him one of the most successful offensive players of the last decade.
Lewandowski broke record after record. And he surpassed the magic mark of 40 Bundesliga goals in one season that Gerd Müller had achieved for Bayern. But the size of a centre-forward cannot be measured by the sheer number of goals. Because Müller was a man for the big moments. He was the striker in the semi-finals and the finals, who was able to assert himself in the tightest of spaces, who scored with a callousness that is unique to this day. But Lewandowski is a long-distance man. He’s not one for the semifinals, let alone the finals. At best, his goals bring teams there. But they don’t decide such games.
It would not do justice to his qualities to claim that he has no effect in such games. His presence alone draws the defenders’ attention, creating gaps for his teammates. Thanks to his presence and robustness, a player like him is a threat to the opponent throughout the game.
But there are attackers who are just as good at this task – and who score a hit or two. Luis Suárez was one of those when he was at FC Barcelona, and Karim Benzema from Real Madrid is anyway. And on Sunday in Doha, Lewandowski met someone who doesn’t need to be asked twice to complete big matches: Kylian Mbappé gave the Poles two goals.
However, Lewandowski was never questioned. A striker has no better arguments than goals. He and Bayern got along as long as the terms were right for him. Thanks to his exceptional position in the Bundesliga, he was always one of the best-paid professionals in Munich.
He repeatedly flirted with the desire to move to Spain. In the 2017/18 season, the rumors launched were particularly loud, so it was just as well that Lewandowski was able to show what caliber he is against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Annoyingly, however, Karim Benzema had also heard that Lewandowski was apparently aiming for a transfer – and was probably also claiming his job at Real.
Benzema’s counterattack
Benzema clarified the matter in the style of a genuine finisher: While there was a long wait for Lewandowski’s first shot on goal, his opponent almost single-handedly kicked Bayern out of the competition with two goals. So the mega offer, which Bayern could not have resisted, did not materialize – which in itself is also a statement about the reputation of the striker at the highest level.
It is the flaw that Robert Lewandowski has to live with: he is a repeat offender. But not one that you associate with the really big moments in football.