Only consolation prize for Lewandowski: Lionel Messi is world footballer of the year

Only consolation prize for Lewandowski
Lionel Messi is world footballer of the year

For the seventh time, Lionel Messi is named World Player of the Year. The Argentine beats Robert Lewandowski, who has to make do with a newly created prize. The FC Bayern striker was seen by many as a favorite for the Ballon d’Or, the golden ball.

Robert Lewandowski applauded politely – but the huge disappointment of the 33-year-old exceptional striker in the “Theater du Chatelet” in Paris was clearly noticeable. Not Bayern Munich’s favorite striker received the prestigious Ballon d’Or award despite an unbelievable record season with 41 goals, but for the seventh time superstar Lionel Messi, who won the Copa America for the first time with Argentina in July.

After his election as world footballer last year, Lewandowski missed the coronation and another superlative in his impressive career. As a consolation there was the newly introduced award for “Scorer of the Year”. Before the award ceremony by the French specialist newspaper France Football, FC Bayern had actually had no serious competitor for their outstanding goalscorer. Especially since Messi had a season to forget at FC Barcelona and is only slowly regaining his top form after his move to Paris St. Germain.

Lewandowski did not use all the hymns of praise beforehand. “Emperor” Franz Beckenbauer emphasized that he was “the most constant in world football”. CEO Oliver Kahn raved about “superlatives”, about a “record for eternity” and simply about the “best striker in the world”. Should the Pole not receive this venerable award, he would be “deeply disappointed,” said Kahn.

Lewandowski is not Luka Modric

The Bayern boss, who like coach Julian Nagelsmann, President Herbert Hainer and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic was there out of honor in Paris, was seriously disappointed. Once again, the coveted trophy in the journalists’ poll went to the Argentine Messi, who has been sharing the award with Cristiano Ronaldo (five times) since 2008. Only Luka Modric was able to penetrate the phalanx of superstars once in 2018. Lewandowski did not succeed.

To the horror of Bavaria. Lewandowski has “in addition to his greed for goals, an unbelievable attitude to his sport”, Nagelsmann praised his top star: “He always hits it. When he leans back, he comes up again and does a sit-up.”

Lewandowski surpassed Gerd Müller’s “eternal” Bundesliga record last season and scored an incredible 41 goals this season. In addition, his goals led FC Bayern under coach Hansi Flick to seven historic (!) Titles in the past two seasons – including a triumph in the Champions League and the World Cup.

It didn’t help. Not even the warm words of his team-mate Thomas Müller. “He absolutely deserves it, we don’t need to discuss it,” he said: “When I see what he not only gives us but also does with the Polish national team – that is much more difficult than in a real top team.”

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