Robert Lewandowski on Lamine Yamal, the Ballon d’Or, and his career journey
Lewandowski didn’t hold back his admiration for Barcelona’s teenage sensation:
“If Lamine doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, I believe he will next year. I’ve genuinely never seen a player like him at his age. At 15, I thought such talent was impossible — yet Lamine proved otherwise. His season was nothing short of extraordinary.”
Reflecting on his first encounter with Yamal, Lewandowski revealed:
“During our first training session, within 50 minutes, I knew he had something special. I couldn’t believe my eyes — no one at that age had ever impressed me like that.”
Lewandowski didn’t stop there, praising another teammate:
“Raphinha also had a phenomenal season. We have players here who could easily be favorites for the Ballon d’Or.”
Speaking about his own career, Lewandowski admitted there’s still a bittersweet note from the past:
“I was at the peak of my career and had won everything with my club. To this day, I don’t know why I didn’t win the Ballon d’Or in 2020.”
Yet, his mindset remains competitive and hungry:
“When I see that I don’t have to chase the younger players, but instead they have to chase me, it tells me the upcoming season could be great. I’m still here to give my very best. I can’t match their youthful pace anymore, but I can guide them — and they teach me things too.”
Looking back on his career path, Lewandowski expressed complete satisfaction:
“It might be rare for a player to say this, but I have no regrets about not playing in the Premier League. After Bayern, Dortmund, and now Barcelona, I’m happy with the choices I’ve made. Every step was my decision, and I feel I’ve missed out on nothing.”
