France Football eyes Ballon d’Or for Lewandowski – Reports

France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d’Or, are reportedly considering awarding Robert Lewandowski the prestigious trophy he missed out on in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Polish striker, who was then playing for Bayern Munich, was the leading candidate for the award during the 2020 season. However, the pandemic led to the cancellation of several competitions, and the organizers decided not to hold the Ballon d’Or ceremony that year.

Lewandowski had an outstanding season in 2020, scoring 47 goals in 44 appearances, the highest in Europe. His performance was pivotal in Bayern Munich winning the treble, including a victory in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite the absence of the 2020 Ballon d’Or ceremony, Lewandowski maintained his excellent form the following season, scoring 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga games, setting a new record at the time.

However, in 2021, the Ballon d’Or was awarded to PSG’s Lionel Messi, sparking much debate. During his acceptance speech, Messi acknowledged Lewandowski’s achievements, stating, “Robert, you deserve your Ballon d’Or.”

In 2023, Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or, the most ever, after leading Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup victory, the first since 1986.

Now, four years later, the Ballon d’Or organizers are contemplating awarding Lewandowski the honor he deserved in 2020. The award might be presented during the October ceremony this year.

Reflecting on this possibility, Lewandowski expressed that he is not bitter about missing out on the award but would appreciate recognition for his performances in those two seasons. “Of course, I would have liked to receive the Ballon d’Or award,” he told Sport Bild last month. “It’s not that I’m angry or wistful because this trophy is still missing. But my feeling is that it would have been my turn in one of the two years.”

Meanwhile, Lewandowski’s agent recently confirmed that despite rumors of his departure, the Polish captain will remain at Barcelona for the upcoming season.