World footballer choice with pitfalls: "Lewa" is better than Messi and CR7

Thursday 17th December 2020

World footballer choice with pitfalls
"Lewa" is better than Messi and CR7

Coronation for the best: can Robert Lewandowski outperform Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the world footballer's choice? The Bayern striker is considered a favorite – and because of his goals and titles last season, he has "no doubt" about his victory. But the freestyle has its pitfalls.

Robert Lewandowski is confident of victory – Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. "We were the best, there is no doubt about that," said the top scorer of FC Bayern before the world footballer election in the evening, in which he wants to follow the Munich triple with his very own three-pack.

Germany and Europe’s footballer of the year is already "Lewa", now the crown with the silver ball is to follow in the headquarters of the world association Fifa. "If you've scored a lot of goals and won everything, there is probably nobody I can compare myself to," said the 32-year-old. The honor would be "a unique feeling and an award for the whole team".

Bavaria are beating the drum

But are all the titles enough, are the top scorer crowns in the Bundesliga, Cup and Champions League enough to outdo the well-known competitors? The virtual freestyle in the lobby of the "Home of Fifa", where the golden World Cup trophy usually sparkles, has its pitfalls: since Ronaldo's first triumph in 2008, only Croatia's World Cup hero Luka Modric 2018 has managed to win the phalanx of "eternal" rivals break through. CR7 won five and Messi six times, most recently last year. Will RL9 now follow?

The Bavarians were busy promoting their star. "It's his big goal, his big dream," said Hansi Flick, who is on the shortlist for coach of the year alongside Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp and Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds): "There's no one who deserves it like Robert. " For captain Manuel Neuer, like Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) and Allison Becker (Liverpool) one of the world goalkeeper candidates, Lewandowski is "unique. I'm really happy to have him in my team – and not to have to play against him".

The Pole is "the best of all", emphasized CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: "That was the season of his life, it is really impossible to do better." And Lothar Matthäus, the only German winner in 1991, said: "There can only be one: Robert Lewandowski. That is clearer than anything in recent years. Robert is the most complete and best player there is in world football. Nobody can match that. "

Neuer and Ribéry know how difficult it is

Really not? In addition to the captains and head coaches of the national teams from all over the world and over 200 media representatives, the fans were also allowed to vote in an online voting on the best and the best (Pernille Harder / Denmark, Lucy Bronze / England or Wendie Renard / France) until Tuesday last week . For many, Messi – or Ronaldo – is and remains top, regardless of form or title.

Bayern know best how unpredictable such elections are. In the year of the first triplet in 2013, Franck Ribéry wept bitter tears of disappointment over third place behind Ronaldo and Messi. A year later it was only enough for Neuer to take third place despite the outstanding World Cup and trophy. Ronaldo, who had failed with Portugal after a 4-0 defeat against Neuer's DFB selection in the preliminary round, became world footballer ahead of World Cup finalist Messi. And: A world footballer from a Bundesliga club – that has never been seen before!

Lewandowski knows that too. So Messi again after all? "Perhaps," said Lewandowski, "you have to wait 100 years before someone like him is born again."