Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, caused a stir by excluding Mo Salah and Sadio Mané, two of the stars of his time at Anfield, when naming the best player he has ever coached.
In an interview with Sport Bild in 2021, the German coach praised Robert Lewandowski as the greatest player he has worked with.
During his time at Liverpool, Klopp transformed a struggling team into European and English champions in just five years.
However, he chose to highlight his tenure at Borussia Dortmund, where he worked with the Polish striker for four seasons. Lewandowski’s performances helped the German club reach the 2013 Champions League final, although they were beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich.
Klopp explained his choice by emphasizing Lewandowski’s incredible development:
“In reality, it would be unfair to say this about any other player than Lewy. What he has done with his potential and how he pushed himself to become the player he is today is extraordinary.
If all players followed the same evolution as Lewandowski when I first saw him at Lech Poznań, the football world would go completely crazy.”
The coach also praised Lewandowski’s discipline and intelligence:
“Lewandowski has gone through all the necessary stages to become this goal-scoring machine.
He knows exactly what to do in every situation. He is an absolute machine. I want to thank him, as well as all the other players who made me look like a very good coach.”
During his seven years at the helm of Liverpool, Klopp managed 334 matches, with 209 wins, 78 draws, and 47 losses. He led the Reds to great heights, winning both the Premier League and the Champions League. However, for Klopp, Robert Lewandowski remains the benchmark for talent and progression.
